


When We Were Young

by freesiafields



Series: Froger Week 2020 [2]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Adoption, Agressive behavior, Alcohol, Alpha Brian May, Alpha Jim Hutton, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Siblings, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Arachnophobia, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Beach Holidays, Beaches, Boys Kissing, Brothers, Bullying, Crying, Dancing, Dancing and Singing, Day At The Beach, Developing Relationship, Drinking, Drunk Dancing, Drunken Kissing, Engagement, Falling In Love, Family Secrets, Family Vacation, Father-Son Relationship, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, First Time, Fist Fights, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Froger Week 2020, Gay Sex, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Insecurity, Jealousy, Jim is a hairdresser, Jim to the rescue, Kissing, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Character Death, Omega Freddie Mercury, Omega Roger Taylor (Queen), Omega Verse, Parent-Child Relationship, Party, Protective Siblings, Public Masturbation, Relationship(s), Robbery, Sailing, Sex, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Sexual Fantasy, Sexual Harassment, Shyness, Sibling Love, Sibling Rivalry, Siblings, Single Parents, Smoking, Smut, Soulmates, Spit As Lube, Traveling, Violence, Walks In The Woods, Walks On The Beach, beta winifred, dentist!Roger, graphic designer!Freddie, roger and freddie are brothers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:27:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27740740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freesiafields/pseuds/freesiafields
Summary: Roger and Freddie are brothers, both in their early twenties. Both are Omegas, both are very beautiful and attractive, although they are completely different.  Freddie is shy, likes to daydream, and is not very interested in love relationships.  Roger is his opposite, always ready to flirt and has a lot of desire for life, and he is very happy to meet different Alphas.  One summer, the two of them go on a boat trip with their mother Winifred.  Holiday by the seaside, Freddie's meeting with Jim, and Roger's meeting with Brian will change their lives forever.
Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury & Roger Taylor, Jim Hutton/Freddie Mercury
Series: Froger Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027908
Comments: 58
Kudos: 42
Collections: The Froger Week 2020





	1. All Aboard

**Author's Note:**

> This is my "first-born" i.e. my very first multi-chaptered Queen fic. I am unsure how many chapters in total it will have. But ideally, it will be updated each Friday. New characters, relationships, and tags will be added with each new chapter. Let me know in the comments what do you think of it. Hope you'll like it.

Trigger warning: mentions of suicide.

It was a warm day in July. Roger and Freddie stood on the seashore and watched the passengers board on the ship. The sea had a reddish color from the reflection of the setting sun. Roger and Freddie waited for their mother, Winifred, to arrive. Winifred walked towards the boys in a hurry. She was closely followed by a luggage carrier who immediately took the suitcases into their cabins.

"Mom, where have you been? We're going to be late," Freddie rushed his mother.

Freddie had dark skin and black curly hair that brushed his shoulders. His long curly hair only added to his exotic look. He was tiny but handsome. With curves in all the right places. Winifred looked at her wristwatch and reassured Freddie that there are still 15 minutes left till their departure. She suggested that they should spend that time touring the ship in all of its glory.

They toured all the rooms of the ship, from the ceremonial and music hall to the restaurant. They climbed the wooden stairs that lead to the deck and stopped there to admire the sea, letting their first impressions to sink in. They sat on free sunbeds that were set on the deck and took a deep breath of fresh sea air.

"This ship is so beautiful!" Roger said enthusiastically. He was only four years older than his brother Freddie. They were both Omegas, they were both petite, and they both had big gentle eyes. This is where all their similarities stopped. Roger had long blonde hair and he looked like an angel. He had a pale face and was more beautiful than many girls he knew. His large blue eyes, with thick blonde lashes, sparkled with joy as he was looking at all the magnificence around him. It was as if the sea itself was reflected in the blueness of his eyes. 

Their cabins were right there near the deck. They took one cabin for Winifred and one for Roger and Freddie. They could hear the ship whistles, signaling its departure. The ship soon set sail, lazily cutting through the waves. For Freddie and Roger, everything was new and exciting. Although they were both in their early twenties, this was their first trip by ship. Their father Michael forbade his sons to travel alone. He told them that traveling alone was too dangerous for two Omegas. Michael was a workaholic, so he stayed at home because of his job as an accountant. While Winifred, as a housewife, had more time to devote to the boys, so she agreed to go on this journey with them. Winifred and Michael gave both of their children to school despite their Omega status. Roger was a dentist, and Freddie worked as a graphic designer.

Roger watched carefully everything that was happening around him. Next to him, Freddie looked down at his hands, dropped in his lap. Two white teeth always were protruding under his full rosy lips that were so kissable. They were both very beautiful. Each in their own way. Roger liked to talk a lot and openly flirt with other Alphas, Freddie was shy and was never the one who would make the first step. Roger could not live without Alpha beside him, and Freddie could not bear to be alone in the company of Alphas. Simply because Alphas made him feel uncomfortable and would very often treat him badly. Of course, Freddie also wanted to have an Alpha by his side, but he couldn't find the one he likes. Their mother Winifred was a beautiful Beta woman. She was still young. It was clear as a day from whom Roger inherited his beautiful face. She had the same blonde hair, albeit she was just a little taller than her sons. The three of them spent the whole evening on sunbeds watching the sea getting wider and wider so that nothing else could be seen anymore except the sea without its beginning or the end.

_________

When Roger, Freddie, and Winifred returned to the deck after dinner, everything was bustling with people. People of all ages, of different fashion styles and different lifestyles, could be seen. Laughter and voices in different languages were echoing all around them. It wasn't long before it became too dark and cold on deck for them to stay there. Winifred wanted to go to sleep, but Freddie and Roger refused to leave. They wanted to watch the bright yellow moon, which was so big they felt like they could reach it with their bare hands. Along the way, they could see some lonely lighthouse in the darkness. Winifred let them enjoy the view a little bit more, and she went to sleep in her cabin.

Freddie stared at the stars and the moon when he felt Roger nudged him with his elbow. Roger pointed at the silhouette of an Alpha leaning against a fence not far from where the two of them were standing. Alpha was in his mid-30s, big and tall, with broad shoulders, and short hair with a side part. He was modestly dressed in beige pants and a white linen shirt, but he nevertheless looked like a real gentleman. Alpha stood there leaned against the fence seemingly deeply lost in his thoughts. Freddie and Roger stared at the sea one second and the unknown Alpha the other. They both seemed to like him, though Freddie would never admit it to himself. The mysterious Alpha sensed someone's intense gaze on him, so he quickly turned around and looked in their direction. Freddie met the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. His eyes had the warm chestnut color of well-worn leather when the sun came out after days of rain. Alpha only took one glance at them, and then he looked around himself as if to make sure the Omegas were looking at him. Then he continued to look over the fence into the sea. He lit a cigarette.

Roger liked this beautiful Alpha, but he was annoyed by his behavior. He acted like he didn't even notice them. Roger was aware of the fact that no one remained indifferent to his beauty, but this Alpha didn't even look at him properly. He didn't even approach them to say hello. Roger frowned and crossed his arms in front of him, pouting. Freddie liked this Alpha too. He was very beautiful, just how he likes it. Alpha reminded him of his favorite actor, Burt Raynolds which only made him blush even more. He wondered about what, or whom, he was thinking about. One passenger approached the Alpha and asked him something, to which Alpha gave him a kind answer and the passenger went by.

"What accent was that?" Freddie asked Roger quietly.

"I think it's Irish," Roger replied. "I can't hear what they were talking about. And I don't care, to be honest. I've lost interest in him. We should go to sleep."

"We should, it's late," Freddie said, taking a glance at Alpha one more time. Alpha looked at Freddie, looked at Roger, and continued to smoke his cigarette. 

______

In the small ship's cabin, Roger was getting ready for bed. He dressed in his pajamas and went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. As Freddie waited for Roger to come out of the bathroom, he continued to watch the moon. Through the cabin door that was cracked open, the moon followed them. The deck was now empty except for the Alpha who was still standing in the same place. Freddie's eyes suddenly widened in fear and shock. Alpha leaned over the fence of the ship with his whole body and it looked like he wanted to jump into the sea. Without thinking, Freddie ran out of the cabin and was quickly standing next to Alpha. He didn't know where he found all that strength in his small body, but he managed to grab Alpha by the arm and pull him to safety.

"No! What do you think you're doing?! Did you want to jump into the sea? Why would you do that?" Freddie was yelling at Alpha who stood straight up and towered over Freddie like some tall tree. They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes, then Alpha burst into laughter, showing Freddie two cute dimples in his cheeks. Freddie frowned in confusion.

"I didn't want to throw myself into the sea! I don't know where you got that idea from. Why would you even think of that? And why are you so worried about me when you don't even know me?" Alpha asked Freddie in a hard Irish accent.

"But… I saw you leaned over the fence… I thought… Sorry," Freddie tried to explain his actions. He was wringing his hands how embarrassed and nervous he was. 

"I appreciate your good intentions. But I had no intention of killing myself. I leaned over the fence because I thought I saw some big animal. I heard there were sharks in this part of the sea," Alpha said. His voice was soft and calm.

"Oh… I am sorry… Umm… I have to go back to my cabin. My brother will be worried about me," Freddie said, lowering his embarrassed gaze and getting away from Alpha in small but hurried steps.

" _ Fuck! You stupid idiot! _ " Freddie murmured to himself as he closed the cabin door behind him.

"What's the matter, Freddie? Why such words?" Roger asked. He was already lying in his bed reading a magazine.

"I just made the biggest fool of myself! I didn't know I could be so stupid!! Uggggh!" Freddie clenched his hands into fists. 

"What happened?"

"That Alpha we saw on deck… I swear to you Roger, he wanted to jump into the sea."

"You're hallucinating, Freddie. The sun must have hit you in the head. He wouldn't jump into the sea dressed so nicely. Besides, he probably knows how to swim."

"Well, I thought…"

"Forget it! Let's go to sleep," Roger said, leaving the magazine on a small night table that was squeezed in between his and Freddie's bed.

Roger and Freddie laid down in their beds, but Freddie couldn't fall asleep for a long time. He was still thinking about Alpha from the deck.

_______

In the morning, their mother's voice woke them up.

"Children, wake up! You have to see how beautiful the sea is! Let's grab a coffee and have breakfast!" Winifred was calling them to get up.

The two brothers got up, got dressed, and washed their faces. When they came out of the cabin, they were blinded by the sun, which was set high in the sky and whose rays were reflecting on the surface of the flat, calm sea. Freddie pulled his big white hat with a black bow on it, over his eyes to hide in its shadow. They headed to the restaurant for breakfast. All the tables were almost occupied. They called a waiter to help them find a free table which he did. He led them to a table near the window. As soon as they sat down, a lady whom Freddie and Roger did not know approached their table. Winifred introduced her to the boys and told them that she's her new friend, Mrs. Lorey. She was a Beta woman like Winifred was. She had very nice manners and was very sophisticated. A real lady. Winifred told them that they met each other yesterday evening in front of her cabin and that Mrs. Lorey was traveling, by some coincidence, to the same place where they were. At least Winifred will have someone to keep her company while Roger and Freddie explore the narrow streets of a small coastal town.

While Winifred was talking to Lorey, Roger pushed Freddie with his elbow pointing at the Alpha from yesterday who was sitting just a few tables away from theirs. Alpha was eating his breakfast, spreading thick layers of butter on bread and drinking tea. He would occasionally stir his tea with a teaspoon and he would immediately continue eating. He had a big appetite for a person who wanted to jump into the sea.

"Look, Freddie, he's alive!" Roger said jokingly, laughing out loud.

"Shut up, he'll hear us!"

Alpha sensed like someone was looking at him again. He raised his eyes from his plate and looked in the direction of their table. Roger shivered as their gazes met. In daylight, he looked even more handsome. Roger thought about what would every Omega give right now just to rest their head on those broad shoulders. When Freddie met Alpha's gaze, he quickly looked down at his coffee cup. A soft blush covered his cheeks. The same unknown passenger from last night, who asked Alpha something and he answered him in Irish, approached Alpha's table. It was probably his new friend. They were talking about something and the young man glanced at Roger and Freddie's table very often. Freddie thought they must be talking about what happened on deck last night and he got embarrassed even further. He wanted to return to the cabin, but it looked like Roger was having a great time trying to lip-read what Alpha and the unknown young man were talking about. Alpha and his friend were laughing out loud. 

" _ Great, now they're laughing at me _ ," Freddie thought to himself. It wasn’t until Alpha finished his breakfast and headed for the door that Freddie relaxed a bit and took something to eat. Through the restaurant window, he saw Alpha taking the same place on the deck. He lit a cigarette and looked thoughtfully at the sea.

"I can see the city!" Roger shouted, rising abruptly from his chair. "We're almost there!" He continued to shout excitedly. "Freddie, let's go on deck to have a better view! It must be beautiful! Come on!" Roger grabbed Freddie by the arm and they both ran out of the restaurant giggling.

In front of them, in the great distance, they could see a city. It was like a movie scene or some painting. The city bathed in the sun. They could see the tall domes of cathedrals, winding streets, white facades of private houses, and seagulls flying over their flat roofs. Freddie could imagine the people who lived there, couples in love riding bicycles through those narrow streets, painters equipped with their canvases and colors going out to the beach and painting the magnificent nature that surrounds them. Freddie smiled broadly. He had a gut feeling that this summer would be different than all of the previous ones for all of them.


	2. In The City of Love and Dungeons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Winifred enjoys sitting in a cafe with her new friend, Mrs. Lorey, brothers Roger and Freddie get to know the beauties of a coastal town. However, even in the most beautiful cities in the world, there are dangers and the possibility of having an unpleasant experience. They are being followed.

Trigger Warning: attempted rape

The ship was approaching the city, whose white walls looked as if they were centuries old. It looked enchanted. A gentle breeze blew, playing with Roger's blond strands of hair. The sun was already high in the sky. It was very warm. The city before them grew. It seemed to them that it was emerging from the sea. Winifred and Mrs. Lorey joined them. Winifred warned them to take their suitcases before there is too much of a crowd. And indeed, after only a few minutes, the roar of voices and the commotion of people who were eager to disembark from the ship could be heard on board.

"Mrs. Winifred, I'm so glad to travel with you and your sons! My friend and I were supposed to come here on a vacation, but she got sick only two days before our leave. I think we'll be enjoying ourselves here," Mrs. Lorey said, smiling warmly.

Winifred smiled back at her and put her hand over Lorey's shoulder. The smell of tobacco smoke wafted around them. It reminded Freddie of Alpha from the deck. It made him upset. He began to fidget on the spot and to look nervously around himself as if Alpha would suddenly jump out from behind him and blow a puff of smoke into his face. Roger was angered to see how anxious Freddie becomes in the presence of Alphas. He has to teach that boy how to enjoy love.

The ship soon stopped. Boats approached around the ship to transport people further towards the shore. Those little boats opposite the gigantic ship looked like walnut shells. They swayed in the waves and wind as if they would roll over at any moment. Skilled boatmen carefully greeted the passengers, holding their heavy suitcases.

When they arrive on shore, they will have to carry their luggage on their own. Freddie's suitcase was very heavy. So heavy that he feared the small boat would sink under its weight. He packed his favorite shoes, clothes worth staying at the seaside for at least a month, then hats, make-up, brightly colored bathing suits… The boatmen shouted at each other. The sharp smell of fish wafted from the shore. Pigeons flew around the boats, waiting for the visitors to throw them crumbs of bread.

"Mrs. Lorey, do you know of any hotels around here where we could stay? I wrote down the address of one of them, but it's quite expensive. Maybe we could take a look at another one together?" Winifred said.

"Of course! I know one hotel nearby. I was very satisfied with their services last year. And it's nicely decorated as well. With Byzantine furniture. Its price is reasonable. It would not be bad to take a look for yourself and decide. It is very close to the beach. We will not have to walk much."

As they stepped on solid ground, Freddie felt dizzy. The sun, the swaying of the boat, and the beauty of the city made him almost lose the solid ground beneath his feet. They didn't know where they would rather look. Officers were walking around the city. Mrs. Lorey explained to them that it was the city guards. Vendors set up their improvised stalls right next to the shore to sell pearled jewelry and some snacks.

From there they turned into a small cobbled alley. The facades of the houses were decorated with beautiful flowers. There were wooden shutters on the windows. Someone's laundry could be seen spread on the balcony. Freddie's hands hurt from the heavy suitcase. He couldn't wait to enter a hotel room. Mrs. Lorey pointed to some old building with her elegant hand. They arrived in front of the hotel.

The hotel wasn't any different in appearance from other buildings. It had very modest facades that started to peel off in some places. On the inside, however, it was arranged like for the arrival of the royal family. In the lobby were placed wide armchairs covered with red plush and a long table made of oak, with magazines scattered on top of it. On the walls, paintings of sunny Mediterranean landscapes were put in heavy gold frames. The silhouettes of the guests were reflected in the polished marble floor that creaked under each step. That's how clean it was. The marble steps in the middle of the lobby led upstairs, where Mrs. Lorey and Winifred with her sons got two spacious rooms overlooking the promenade and the sea. The promenade was framed by a shallow sidewalk with flower pots on the sides.

Everything in the room smelled of fabric softener. One wooden closet was large enough to hold things from all three suitcases. The curtains were a transparent azure blue color that matched the soft carpet.

Freddie threw himself on his back over the tall bed. He was lying on it so that his legs hung over one side of the bed. He raised both hands above his head. The smell of clean bedding soothed him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Roger had already opened his suitcase and was carefully taking his clothes out on the bed to see if they were wrinkled.

"Freddie, go wash your face. You'll freshen up a little and you'll feel better. I'll take off these heels. My legs are killing me. I got blisters on my toes. And this corset. It cut into my skin. I didn't take it off last tonight. What can I do when I have fat around my belly?! When I was young I didn't need it," Winifred said. "Goodness! I feel like I can breathe again! We're going to sleep well tonight. You two sleep here, and I'll sleep on that couch over there."

Roger stood at the window. He wanted to take a better look at a neighborhood. The view was divine. He could hardly wait to go to the beach. On the promenade, three young Alpha men were talking loudly and were laughing like crazy. When they saw Roger at the window, they started howling and making obscene gestures with their hands.

“Mom, come and see how rude those young men are,” Roger said.

"Get away from the window, don't stand there," his mother warned him.

"I want to see!" Freddie said, getting out of bed.

"Freddie!" Winifred said in a sharp tone.

Freddie stood at the window, but those young men were already gone. The only thing he could see was that just a little further away from the promenade, the city was very dirty. Someone threw orange peel and wraps of a conned ice cream. Buildings closer to the sea smelled of damp and mold stains were visible on the facades. Everything had some sort of gray color and was sad to look at. Who knows how many centuries those moldy buildings were old.

"Get away from that damn window, children. Let's go down and have a black coffee. What do you say?" Winifred asked.

"I'm for it! Mom, can you give us some money to buy a souvenir?" Roger asked.

"I'll give it to you. Buy whatever you want for yourselves. We don't have much money, but it will be enough for a little something. Maybe for a hat or a ceramic necklace."

"Oh, yes! I would love to buy a new hat!" Freddie exclaimed happily. It was as if all his fatigue was gone in an instant.

"Awesome! Thank you, mom!" Roger exclaimed, kissing Winifred on the cheek.

"Roger, you're giving me a lot of trouble. You flirt too openly with every Alpha you come across. You know what Alphas are like when they see someone acting like that. They just want to have fun. They don't care about you. Their intentions are not pure," Winifred said, looking worriedly at Roger.

"But, mom! I am only young once. What do you want from me? To lock me in a room?"

"Of course I don't want to. It's just... everything should have its boundaries, Roger. Why am I not worried about Freddie? He can live without Alphas. But you… I keep seeing you talking to some random strangers."

"Who knows, Mom. Maybe one of them asks me to marry him. Maybe one of them is my soulmate? How would I know that if I don't approach them and talk to them? Here, for example, you and our dad. You were practically strangers when you got married. You've only known each other for six months," Roger said.

"Dad! We have to call him!" Freddie suddenly realized.

"Sure. Go to the phone booth today and give him a call. Tell him we arrived safely. Or, you can send him a postcard," Winifred said. She opened her clutching purse and gave them some money.

Roger and Freddie got dressed. Freddie wore short shorts with red and white stripes and a transparent white blouse. On his back, he had a small brown leather backpack in which he put all the necessities and money from Winifred. Roger wore baggy blue linen pants and a linen blue shirt. He borrowed a small straw hat from Freddie. Freddie stood in front of the mirror to put on some blush. In the mirror, he saw the reflection of their mother in a beautiful green summer dress with small flowers on it, which beautifully emphasized her feminine figure.

"Mom! How beautiful you are! That color suits you," Freddie said. "Let me put some blush on you."

"Ugh! Don't put blush on me! I'll just put on lipstick, and that'll be enough. Like that…." she said, putting the red lipstick carefully on her lips and then pressing them together to evenly blend the color. "I'm ready. I don't want Mrs. Lorey to wait for me. I'm going to her room to see if she's ready."

"We're leaving now as well," Roger said.

The three of them left the room together. They locked the door behind them and Winifred headed for her friend's room, and the brothers stepped out into the fresh sea air through the hotel lobby. They stopped for a second to look around and decide the direction they want to go. They decided to pass next to the St. Nicholas' Cathedral, whose high arcades provided a nice shade for tired tourists, and then further through the promenade. When they came out of the promenade, they turned into a wider street and reached the market by stairs, where various Mediterranean fruits were sold. They passed the market and reached the town square with a fountain. There, they watched older people feeding pigeons with seeds and children chasing them with open arms. They went further and entered a beautiful street with window shops on both sides.

"Look, Roger! Maybe we'll find our souvenirs here. There are hats as well! If we have any money left, I could buy myself a lacy fan."

Freddie and Roger stopped in front of each window just to see the variety of items that were sold there. Freddie was a big shopaholic, and if he could, he would buy half the stuff from each store. Everything was so beautiful and unique that his artistic eye danced joyfully, jumping from one item to another. At the hat shop, Freddie bought one little red hat with a fluffy red feather on it. It looked very extravagant and elegant at the same time. That was exactly Freddie's style. Roger decided to take another look around the stores before deciding what he wanted to buy for himself.

As soon as they left the store, they were greeted by the same three Alphas who had seen Roger at the window that morning. They did not approach them, but their black eyes burned like fire. They looked very threatening. Roger, with his pale skin and blonde hair, always attracted Alphas who had dark hair and black eyes. Roger smiled at them as he would at any Alpha he saw. He liked to tease them without knowing the danger.

"It's so hot today. I'm so thirsty. Look, there's a lemonade stand. Let's buy two big cups of lemonade with ice," Freddie told Roger, grabbing him by the arm.

The fact was that Freddie was not that thirsty. There were a lot of people around the lemonade stand, so he counted on the fact that those Alphas would not be able to do them any harm if they mix with the crowd. And indeed, the next minute, the three Alphas couldn't be seen or heard anymore, as if they had never been there. Freddie thought he might be hallucinating again.

As they waited in a long line for the lemonade, Freddie's eye caught a street painter that was selling reproductions of old master painters. He told Roger to stay in the line while he goes to take a look at those artworks. He enthusiastically looked over canvases covered with paint. Women with fiery red hair, nudes whose soft skin looked as if he could touch them, nature with its winding paths, warriors on horseback in a fierce clash with the enemy… He especially liked one painting. He wanted to come closer and to look at it but someone was already standing in front of it blocking his view.

It was Alpha from the deck. As usual, Freddie panicked and stepped away, wondering whether to get back in line to Roger or to wait for the Alpha to leave. He decided to wait. He’d rather wait in line to see paintings than in line for lemonade.

"Titian's school," Freddie said, approaching Alpha from behind. Freddie stood beside him and stared at the painting in front of them. He knew it well. He saw it so many times by now. It was the work of one of his favorite artists.

"You are familiar with this painting?" Alpha asked. As if he wasn't surprised at all to meet Freddie again.

"Yes, in fact, I am. The painter who made this masterpiece is Italian. And I am from London," Freddie said with a smile so his teeth weren't visible. This behavior was not typical of him. He wasn't a conversation starter. Especially not with some Alpha. It was as if he was looking at himself from another angle. He could not recognize himself. It came to him, somehow naturally. The words were coming out of his mouth by themselves.

"My name is Jim Hutton. I'm Irish," Alpha said, taking his big hand out of his pocket.

Freddie took Jim's hand in his tiny hand and shook it, squeezing it tightly, "I am Freddie. Freddie Taylor."

"Italian huh?" Jim asked, turning back to the painting. "I've been to Italy a few times, but I've never seen a red-haired Italian like the one on the painting."

"Such are Titian's Venetian women. They have changed by far. They no longer have red hair. They have also become thinner. Women like this, you know, with wide hips and round bellies... I don't think they would be considered beautiful nowadays."

"Well, times are…"

"Freddie, aren't you going to introduce me? Here is your lemonade." Roger returned with a refreshing beverage in his hand. His lips were playing with a plastic straw that was threaded through the lid of a cardboard cup.

"This is Roger Taylor," Freddie introduced Roger to Jim. They shook hands.

"You two are friends?" Jim asked.

"No, we are brothers."

"Interesting. I would never guess. You don't look alike at all."

"That's what everyone says," Roger said, waving off his hand. 

Roger was bothered by the fact that Jim wasn't looking at him at all. He was addressing Freddie most of the time and wasn't paying much attention to what Roger had to say. Roger tried to look at him sweetly under his lashes or to seemingly spontaneously grab him by the biceps. Is this Alpha immune to Roger's beauty? No way, if you ask him. Roger noticed how the other Omegas reacted in his presence. Giving him often, not very subtle signs that they like him. However, he remained indifferent to all this. Maybe there was something wrong with him?

"Are you a painter yourself, when you are so well familiar with artworks?" Jim asked Freddie.

"I'm not a painter, but I'm something similar in that field. I'm a graphic designer."

"I see. That's why you have the eye for all beautiful things."

"Yeah, beautiful things like you are," Roger added, looking cheekily into Jim's eyes and twirling a straw with his tongue. Jim remained serious and quickly broke eye contact. The audacity he had not to fancy Roger! This Alpha must be a lost cause. Roger wasn't stupid. He noticed how Jim's eyes spark when he watched Freddie talk. Roger wanted to prove to himself that he could seduce anyone at any time, even those who at first glance do not care about him. His every attempt to flirt with Jim, however, remained unsuccessful.

"I work as a dentist," Roger said, flashing his bright smile Jim's way. He continued his little love game.

"Good," Jim said. "I am a hairdresser."

"I could tell. You have very nice hands. I wish those fingers got lost in my hair," he said, taking Jim's hand in his. Jim jerked his hand away and put his hands behind his back.

Roger himself noticed that his behavior crossed the line of good taste and he suddenly felt ashamed. He was not shy by nature. It was as if he and Freddie had swapped their personalities for a day. They said goodbye to Jim, who looked as if he couldn't wait to leave their company, because of how uncomfortable he was.

"You chased him away, Roger. No wonder Mom's mad at you for flirting with everyone. You're horrible at it," Freddie said.

Roger was not pleased to hear that, and he just frowned.

_______

Winifred and Lorey were sitting in the garden of a local coffee shop. In the middle of a small round table, was a vase with one flower and one ashtray. The two of them ordered an iced coffee and they drank it slowly, enjoying every sip.

"Mmmm… it's so delicious. Almost sweet as ice cream. We should come here more often," Winifred said.

"Oh, we will! How do you like it here so far?" Lorey asked.

"I like it very much. Everything is so peaceful even though there are so many people here. It's not like in London. There are no fewer people than here, but the noise is unbearable."

"What can I tell you about New York? It's even more crowded than London. And the pollution is off the roof," Lorey said, taking another sip of coffee. "You know, I almost forgot to tell you. My niece and nephew should be here in a day or two. They're about the same age as your boys. I think they'll get along pretty well. They will make each other company. Isn't that nice?"

"That's fantastic! Can't wait to meet them."

"Your sons are very beautiful. I've noticed that everyone is watching them. I don't blame them. I just think Freddie should find a nice Alpha as soon as possible. He needs someone to guide him through life. Believe me, as a teacher, I can read children and young adults like an open book."

"I am not worried about Freddie, my dear. He is a perfect child. I am worried about Roger. Every Alpha he sees has to be his. It's too dangerous. He could get in so much trouble with such behavior. If he would just get married and calm down a little! I think it would solve all my problems. It's a dangerous world out there for Omega…"

Winifred did not know how much truth there was in her words.

__________

The brothers went on to explore all the beauties of the city that it had to offer. Across the street from those paintings they just saw, there was a dungeon that dates back to the 10th century. They decided to visit it before returning to the hotel for lunch. It was very dark inside the dungeon. It was intertwined by hallways and each of them was ending with deep spiral staircases. Freddie thought it would probably be hard for him to get used to the brightness of the sun when they get out of here. It was cold inside and smelled of mold and dampness. Freddie shuddered when he remembered that people used to die within these walls. Small cells without windows, with heavy iron bars on the doors, were barely enough for one person. All the horrors of the Middle Ages could still be felt in them. What kind of torments these prisoners went through?! The hallways were narrow and slippery. Their footsteps echoed through the air. Everything was so spooky. If they only had a guide with them. Freddie felt some fear in his bones. The tiny hairs on his neck stood on end. They heard more hurried footsteps behind them. They prayed that it was just an oncoming group of tourists.

Three faces emerged from the darkness. The three Alphas from the promenade, with their eyes red from the lust, approached them. They followed Roger and Freddie all the way here until they had nowhere to run or hide. Alphas were determined to turn their bad intentions into reality.

One of them, the one with eyes as black as embers, said: "Well, well. Isn't that the beauty we saw at the window? Don't you want to play with us? You weren't afraid when you smiled so sweetly to us in front of the souvenir shop."

He walked over to Roger and removed his blond hair from his eyes. Roger smacked his hand away. It was the wrong move. Alpha twisted Roger's arm behind his back so that he restricted his moves. He pressed Roger's back against his chest and clasped his hand over Roger's mouth. He was now whispering something in his ear. Alpha kissed his neck as he reached into his pants with his free hand.

Freddie watched it all hidden in the dark. He could not allow his brother to be mistreated like that. He couldn't do much. They were twice his size. But he could at least try. He had to do something as soon as possible, even if it meant that he might get hurt too.

"Leave him alone!" Freddie shouted, and the echo in the dungeon repeated his order two more times.

"And what do we have here? This one here is even more outstanding!" the second Alpha said, approaching Freddie.

Freddie was visibly shaking. He knew what all the Alphas are capable of doing when they find the helpless Omega. He read all about it in the newspaper. Freddie walked backward hoping he wouldn't stumble and fall. That would be the end for him. He crashed into someone and his red hat flew from his head on the cold floor. That someone immediately grabbed his wrists. It was the third Alpha who insidiously waited for him behind his back. The second Alpha approached Freddie calmly, licking his lips. He immediately groped Freddie's ass. Freddie tried to move, he wanted to shout, he wanted to kick them in the shins, to bite them... but fear had paralyzed him completely. He felt sick and he wanted to puke.

"Nice… You are pretty," the second Alpha said as he ran his fingers over Freddie's full lips. "I bet you can suck dick very well with lips like that. Mine wasn't sucked for so long."

Freddie heard Roger screaming, and only then his instincts worked to their fullest. He elbowed Alpha behind him and started pinching his arm. But the Alpha was too strong.

"You're so cute like that. Come with us," the third Alpha said and began dragging Freddie across the floor deeper into the dungeon. Freddie could barely keep standing on his feet. That's it. He is going to die. He will die forgotten in this utter darkness. He will never see the sunlight again. He will never hear his mother's voice or see his dad's face. Freddie started screaming for Alpha to let him go but it was all in vain. He refused to give up. He will fight till his last breath if he needs to.

Freddie somehow managed to take his little backpack off his back and swung it with all his might towards Alpha's face. Alpha skillfully grabbed the backpack with his rough hands and ran with it down the hall toward the exit. Alpha behind Freddie turned him over and knocked him against the wall.

"Get off me!" Freddie shouted. "Rog! Roger!" No one responded.

Alpha tucked his dirty paws under Freddie's blouse. Freddie put his hands on Alpha's chest trying to push him away. Alpha pressed his lips to Freddie's and started grabbing his butt and his bare thighs. He put his one knee between Freddie's legs forcing him to open them wider. Freddie felt Alpha's hard dick on the side of his thigh. That disgusted him. He closed his eyes and wished he could disappear.

"Open your pretty eyes. I want you to look me in the face when I fuck you, beautiful." 

Alpha reached out to open his slit and release his pounding dick when a loud shout broke the silence of the dungeon.

"HEY YOU!" the voice yelled.

Over Alpha's shoulder, Freddie saw a lock of Roger's hair. Someone was standing next to him but Freddie's tear-soaked eyes couldn't see clearly. Jim grabbed Alpha by the neck and pulled him away from Freddie. He punched Alpha in the face with his fist so hard that he landed on the floor. Freddie gasped at the sight, putting his hands over his face. Roger rushed towards him and the two brothers hugged tightly. Jim kicked Alpha repeatedly in the ribs.

"If I ever see you again… Ever! Anywhere near these two! I will have your dick chopped off!" Jim yelled at Alpha who was bent in half from so much pain he was in. "These dungeons were invented for people like you!" Jim finished with him and turned away.

Jim grabbed Roger and Freddie and they quickly ran out of there in broad daylight. Jim's closeness made them feel safe and secure. His warmth made them feel better, and a little bit of color returned to their cheeks. It was like they shifted from being in hell to walking in heaven. When they stepped outside, the strong scent of roses, or someone’s perfume, filled Freddie’s nostrils. Jim held them both tightly under his arm, giving them the support they desperately needed. He took them far away from the dungeon. Roger and Freddie could no longer walk, their legs trembled, and Jim led them to sit on a bench under a broad canopy of a plane tree. They sat there to gather themselves and make sure they were fine.

"Do you want me to take you back to your hotel?" Jim asked them.

"No, Mom will surely be very upset if she sees us like this. We would like to stay here for a little bit longer. But you stay here with us," Roger said.

"She shouldn't have let you walk the streets of an unknown city all by yourselves. Did those fools do anything to you? Are you hurt?" Jim asked.

They both shook their heads. They may have some bruises around their wrists tomorrow. They will have to buy some bracelets to hide the bruises from Winifred.

"They took my backpack, but it's not that big of a deal," Freddie said.

"Did you have anything valuable in it?" Jim asked.

"No, I didn't. Just a wallet with some money my mom gave us to buy souvenirs. I wanted to buy something for Roger."

"Don't you want to buy yourself anything?" Jim asked.

"No, I already bought myself this red… Oh no! I left my hat in the dungeons!" Freddie suddenly realized, and he got up from the bench he was sitting on.

"No, don't go back there! Are you crazy?!" Roger shouted.

"Roger is right. Stay here. I want to tell you something. I'd like to thank you for saving me," Jim said.

" _ I _ saved  _ you _ ? Isn't it the other way around?" Freddie asked.

"I saved you because that was the least I could do for you after you saved my life."

"Oh that ... I'm still so very embarrassed about it," Freddie said looking at the floor. He was his old self now. The good old Freddie was nothing but shy and confused in the presence of Alphas. The memory of that event was not pleasant for him. His cheeks burned again. He hated when that happens. 

"Why should you be ashamed? I liked that. It was nice of you to come and help a stranger. I thought you must have a soul as beautiful as you are."

"But… you said… you didn't want to jump into the sea."

"And I didn't want to. But I could slip and fall, which is the same thing."

"I thought you were laughing at me."

"No, believe me. It was very nice of you. We might never have met if you hadn't approached me that night. And I am very glad I met you…" Jim said, looking at Freddie with his warm eyes. Freddie looked up to thank him, but when his eyes met Jim's, his heart began to pound uncontrollably and he felt dizzy again.

Roger made faces like he's about to vomit just by looking at them. He put his forefinger in his mouth and mimicked he was getting sick.

"And you as well, Roger. I am glad that I met you," Jim said, turning to Roger.

"Oh! Umm… yeah, yeah… me too!" Roger replied awkwardly.

"You know what? I'd like you to let me buy you both a bracelet. Whichever one you choose. Let it be my little gift to you," Jim proposed, and Roger and Freddie looked at each other. They accepted. They needed something to lift their spirit and help them forget about all the bad things that happened. Only good memories of this vacation were allowed. Together they returned the same path they had taken before and reached that alley with window shops. There, they found a jewelry store, and Roger and Freddie began to choose what they wanted to buy. They both chose the same model of a bracelet, only in different colors. Freddie wanted a green one and Roger wanted a blue one. These were bracelets made of large cubes. Each cube was at least an inch and a half in diameter. They were cut from green and blue marble with white, barely noticeable, stripes over them. Freddie liked big jewelry because it was modern.

"That green wouldn't suit you. For you is this red one. Like coral," Jim suggested. All three agreed that Roger would look great with the blue one. After all, it was his favorite color.

As they walked out of the store with their bracelets around their wrists, Freddie was shocked to see that the large clock tower shows that it was already 8 p.m. They thanked Jim once again for everything he had done for them in such a short period and reluctantly said goodbye to him.

The brothers ran back to the hotel. Winifred was greatly worried about them because they did not return to the hotel all day. They even skipped lunch. They told her everything about where they were and what they saw, and how much they like this town. They showed her their bracelets but did not mention who bought it for them. Their mother told them they have to tell her where they are going and when they will return to their rooms because otherwise, she will not let them go anywhere alone. They apologized to her and promised her it would not happen again.

As the evening was getting darker, the city became even more magical. Illuminated by street lamps, it shone as it did during the day. Instead of falling asleep, the whole city seemed to come to life just now. Young girls in short summer dresses and with flowers in their hair walked with their friends across short alleys. Some drunken guys sang love songs merrily. Music was heard from the town square. The orchestra held a concert. People in formal shirts and ladies in their most elegant dresses listened to long symphonies that followed one after another. If they knew it was like this when night falls, Roger and Freddie would sleep through the day and wake up when evening falls. The sea was calm. On its shores, fishing boats, whose owners had long gone home to sleep, were chained.

Their mother hurried them to the hotel room. She worried because they had been walking all day and had not eaten anything. So she made them sandwiches for dinner. It was almost midnight when they went to bed. Freddie couldn't sleep. His pillow was uncomfortable, so he put his hand under his head. How could Roger fall asleep so quickly after everything that happened to them today? He kept thinking about someone. Someone who didn't let him fall asleep. He remoted in his head everything Jim had told him that day. Every compliment was engraved in his memory. He closed his eyes. Tiny stars danced under his eyelids until they became completely invisible. He opened his eyes again and blinked a few times, staring at the moon reflected in the glass of the open window. His hair was sweaty at the ends. He shook off the cover from himself and turned to his back. Shadows from the street danced on the ceiling of their room. He closed his eyes. He saw two warm brown eyes in front of him. He already knew those eyes very well. He saw his own reflection in them, and he fell asleep soon after. Who knows what tomorrow will bring ...


	3. A Riddle He Would Like To Solve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tension is growing between the brothers. Freddie likes Jim, and he wants to feel the charms of an emotional relationship with him. Roger doesn't like the idea of Freddie getting in a relationship with someone he only met yesterday. He just wants to protect his younger brother from the possibility of being potentially hurt.

Freddie woke up to a gloomy morning. He was still in his silk pajamas. He was sitting in an armchair and was staring at the cloudy gray sky. The rain was falling in tiny drops that poured down the window panes. Some pigeons bathed in lukewarm ponds. While some were hidden under the roofs, heads buried between their wings. It was as if they, too, were wondering whether to wake up this morning or not. Freddie had nothing to do. Winifred was still asleep. Roger was in the bathroom performing his hours-long beauty rituals.

Freddie picked up a book he had brought from London. He flicked through a few pages and found a marked place he was looking for. He looked down at those letters in front of him, but he wasn't in the mood to read them. He closed the book and took a pen and paper out of the drawer. He began to draw, first sketching Alpha's head. Round but regular nose. Warm eyes, with slightly lowered eyelids. Hair with a side parting. Dimples on the cheeks. And a mustache, that gave his beautiful face a dose of seriousness and maturity. Freddie wanted to keep Jim in his memory, but it would be too awkward to take a photo of him. Freddie looked at his finished drawing and smiled.

He liked Jim. For the first time in his life, he felt that he wanted to be in a relationship with some Alpha. He will turn 21 this September, and yet, his love life was non-existent. He never had a serious relationship. The whole dating world was such a riddle for him. A riddle he would like to solve. He had a couple of schemes that always ended up with him being fucked and left behind. The closest he was to a real relationship was when he met one beautiful Alpha from Yorkshire. He was attractive and interesting to be around. But Alpha had the attitude that Freddie should kneel before him and be submissive to him all the time. Alpha left him after Freddie refused to obey him.

Freddie was thinking about his future. Will he be forever alone? Is there no one out there who could love him? It's not like he wanted to spend his whole life living with his parents. Roger, if he wanted to, could get married tomorrow to whomever his heart desired. Roger could choose. Alphas were waiting in line to ask for his hand. And Freddie? He had to seize the opportunity that was given to him. He will forever regret it if he misses it now. Jim was a good catch if you asked him.

Freddie was now ready. He was ready to feel loved. Freddie wasn't the most confident person in the world. He was highly insecure about his physical appearance. It originated from his school days, when kids were teasing him, calling him ugly. They told him that no one would even want to kiss him because of his protruding teeth, let alone to look at his ugly face for the rest of their life. That's why he was nervous in the presence of Alphas. He was too shy, and uncomfortable when they were looking at him in the face for more than a minute. Even if they would compliment him, Freddie never took it seriously. Moreover, he thought that none of those compliments could be sincere. They only wanted to make fun of him and to make him feel bad about himself. Roger has always been a prettier brother. With his perfect facial features, he was the one all Alphas wanted. Freddie was always somewhere in Roger's shadow, waiting for some Alpha who would want him, not Roger. Freddie wasn't sure if he had found the one he was looking for. But he was willing to try and give this romance a chance.

Roger came out of the bathroom drying his hair with a towel.

“There’s no hot water,” he said. "What are you doing? Are you writing a letter to Daddy? Let me see."

"No-" Freddie tried to hide the drawing in the cover of the book but Roger was faster. He ripped the paper from Freddie's hands and his blue eyes darkened, taking the color of this morning's sky.

"You like him, don't you?" Roger asked.

"I don't know-"

"Freddie, you can't like someone you have just met yesterday. You're being irrational. There's something about him I don't like…"

"Oh really?! You didn't mean that when you tried to flirt with him!" Freddie said getting up from his armchair.

"I was just testing the terrain! How do you know his intentions are pure? He can't be good for you. You don't know anything about him! He can be a total jerk, like that guy you were  _ almost _ dating! Do you see the connection? You always choose the wrong Alphas."

"How do you know what's good for me?!"

"Because I know what Alphas are like! You know nothing about them! How many Alphas did you have? Exactly! Zero!"

"Well, Roger, if you would let me out of your shadow sometimes, I would have some Alpha by my side by now! You always snatch them right in front of my nose!"

"Why Jim? There are plenty of Alphas in London! Whenever I wanted to introduce you to some of them you always ran away? Why is there so much interest in Jim now? What's so special about him?!"

"Well, he is special to me! He looks like a big softie. He saved us both from dungeons. He has a job. He is young and it seems like he comes from a good family. He is well behaved, he's not bragging around. He seems so kind. Want me to continue my list of reasons why I like him?"

"Ok, fine! Let's say you two hook up. It's going to be nothing more than a summer affair! He's just going to use you for fun! What's going to happen when he goes back to Ireland? Hm? He will forget about you! You will never see him again!"

"Leave me alone, Roger! Maybe you should start following your pieces of advice for a change!" Freddie was very angry. He took a drawing from Roger. He did not expect Roger to react like this. He thought that he would be happy for him and that he would support him. Why did Roger have to destroy everything for him in a second, with just one comment? Tears of anger burned in his eyes. "Why are you being such a dick right now?"

"If I am being a dick, then you are being a fool! He told you one time that you're beautiful and you immediately fell for it! What you're feeling for that Alpha is not love! I am just trying to protect you!" Roger said.

"I can take perfect care of myself, thank you!" Freddie turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. He locked himself in the bathroom and leaned his back against the door. He couldn't hold back the tears from sliding down his cheeks. He stared at the drawing in his trembling hands. It was wrinkled a little. Jim's face was smiling to him from the paper, and it made Freddie feel the warmth around his heart. Was he asking too much? Was just one decent relationship too much to ask from life? Freddie twirled his coral-red bracelet nervously between his fingers.

Winifred appeared at the door of Roger's and Freddie's room. She was still in her nightgown. Her eyes were puffed up from sleep and her hair was tousled. In a dreamy voice, she asked Roger: "What's that noise? Why are you yelling? The whole hotel can hear you!"

"Freddie and I argued," Roger said.

"You're testing my patience acting like two teenagers! Why were you fighting? We came here to relax and enjoy the summer, not to go on each other's nerves. You, as an older brother, should know better. I don't care about whatever you were arguing about. Go and make up with each other immediately!"

"Freddie hooked up with Alpha!"

"What?!" Winifred exclaimed.

"I didn't!" Freddie ran out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him angrily. "Mom, he's talking bullshit! Jim is just my friend."

"Who's that Jim anyway? You never told me about him," Winifred said.

"We met him on the ship…" Freddie replied.

"It's good to have friends, darling. I would like to meet him. I always say you should socialize a little bit more. You, Roger, stop making unnecessary drama. You're brothers, you should love each other no matter what. Now listen to me. Makeup with each other, and let's go on a nice cruise. What do you say, hm? It's raining. It's not exactly a day for the beach. The sand will be too wet to lie on it, and the water will be cold and dirty. We won't be able to swim. That's why a day like this is perfect for a cruise. We'll see all the surrounding islands. Come on, get ready, and let's go." Winifred went to the bathroom to wash her face and comb her hair, leaving the brothers alone in a room, surrounded by an uncomfortable silence.

_______

By noon, a dark curtain of clouds had lifted and the July sun was set high. The rain slowly stopped falling. Gray clouds now disappeared leaving the clear blue sky behind them. The sun cast its long rays on the town square, as if it gained some new strength, drying the wet asphalt. The pigeons came out of their shelters, continuing to sing their love song.

Winifred and the boys headed towards the sea. Roger and Freddie were still pouting, shooting glances, and refusing to talk with each other. They even walked at a distance of two meters between them. They went to the box office to buy tickets for the cruise ship. These ships were departing every hour, so there was never a big crowd on the shore or in the ship itself. The cruiser arrived and they got inside. They didn't know how many passengers had already been there. All the seats were almost filled.

The three of them sat on the front of the ship. Winifred was sitting between her sons because the two of them looked like they were going to jump on each other at any moment. Across from them sat a single Omega woman, with a girl of about seven years of age beside her. The girl had long blonde hair braided in two braids that fell over her shoulders and chest. She had round blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Winifred felt emotionally watching her. Roger looked a lot like her when he was a little kid. He had the same hair color. How quickly her children grew up! She would give everything in the world just so she could at least, one more time, hug her children tightly while they cling to her chest and sing lullabies to them until they fall asleep. The girl smiled at Winifred and shyly, like any child, hid behind her mother.

The ship passed slowly past the mansions of wealthy residents, past palm trees, and some deserted beaches. The sun soon began to burn relentlessly. He knew that most people would say that kissing in the rain was romantic, but he would prefer to kiss someone in the shade of a parasol while their lips are salty from the seawater. The warm weather always woke up the strangest feelings inside of him.

The guide's voice was coming from the loudspeakers. The guide was explaining to the tourists what they can see around them. These small islands had great historical importance. Ancient philosophers came here when they wrote down some of their deepest thoughts and teachings. The emperors were sent here for exile once their rule was crushed down. It was at one such island that their cruise ship stopped. The island, as the guide said, was a real little paradise for archaeologists who found the foundations of houses, baths, and basilicas from the very beginning of our era. It was buried under thick layers of sand until now. The three of them set out to see these ruins. Roger frowned under the excuse that he just looked like that because the sun was going directly into his eyes. He closed his eyes as they stood by a mosaic-decorated baptistery. He had never been interested in the past anyway. Roger felt the sun warming up his face like someone's warm hands were touching him. The soft breeze made him feel sleepy. He felt at peace.

Jim's gaze caught someone's bright yellow T-shirt. A wide smile crossed his face when he saw it was Freddie. His little ray of sunshine. Freddie and Roger were in the company of a woman Jim did not know. What is going on with Roger? He looks grumpy and like he's dying of boredom. Jim thought to himself. He will only approach them to say hello. It wouldn't be very polite of him to walk past them without a word. He did not want to disturb them in touring this intriguing location. He folded the archeological catalog he held in his hand, took a cigarette from his silver cigarette case, and headed towards them.

Roger felt a shadow hover over his closed eyes. He thought that the clouds were surely coming again. He lazily raised his heavy eyelids only to see Jim standing in front of him. The golden rays of the sun scattered around Jim's head looked like a halo. Roger rolled his eyes. He would rather see dark clouds than Jim.

" _ This must be a joke! Is he following us?" _ Roger said to himself quietly, visibly irritated.

"Hello, Freddie! Hello, Roger! Good afternoon, Mrs…" Jim said hello to them.

"Oh, hi Jim! This is our mom, Winifred. Mom, this is Jim. The one I told you we met on the ship," Freddie introduced them to each other.

Jim shook Winifred's hand and said jokingly: "I didn't know you were talking about me."

" _ Oh, yes, we're talking about you. You have no idea _ ," Roger muttered to himself.

"Freddie mentioned you to me just this morning. I didn't see you on the ship that night. I haven't heard much about you, but I hope we will get along well. As soon as you and Freddie became friends so quickly, I don't think you can be a bad person!" Winifred said.

"Mother, please…" Freddie said shyly, tucking his hair behind his ear. The familiar flame burned his cheeks. He would always get angry at himself every time his own body betrayed him like that. What is it about Jim that makes him feel so confused? Freddie wanted to look him in the face. He looked up for a second, still hiding his eyes a little bit, under his eyebrows. Jim's warm, brown, smiling eyes cut across his gaze. It was as if Jim's eyes fueled the blush on Freddie's face even more with their warmth. Unable to bear it any longer, Freddie lowered his gaze, looking vaguely at the ground.

"Uhh, yeah… well, it was a nice meeting you, Mrs. Taylor! I get to go now. Enjoy your stay!" Jim said, waving them goodbye.

"Thank you, child! You too! What a handsome young man! You must tell me a little more about him," she said, taking Freddie under the arm.

"He can't tell you anything about him. Because he doesn't know anything about him except his name and that he's working as a hairdresser! He believes everything others tell him!" Roger said, kicking a small pebble in front of him. "And why did we even come here, Mom? It's a hundred degrees right now! We could enjoy the beach like all the normal people!"

"How could I know it's going to be so sunny! I thought it would rain all day. And what's wrong with exploring natural treasures like this one? We need to get to know the history of other nations and cultures. This is our only opportunity to see something like this. I don't know about you, but I like this place."

"Yes. Roger, if you don't like it, you can always go back to the room," Freddie added.

"I know who you'd like to go to the room with!"

"Oh, I get it now! You're just jealous of me! Oh, how the tables have turned! Suddenly,  _ you're _ the one without Alpha! You can't come to terms that not all Alphas are revolving around you!" Freddie was yelling.

"Enough! Enough, I said! I don't like this tension between you two! I'll send you both back to London! You can sit in your rooms there as long as you wish! You've never argued over Alpha.  I will tell everything your father! I gave you too much freedom! Other Omegas don't have the half of freedom your father and I gave you. By the end of this vacation, you're not going to leave my side. I'll keep an eye on your day and night. Just so you know."

Winifred was very angry at her sons. Her small nose was raised high, and a deep wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows giving sternness to her still youthful face. Freddie and Roger had never seen her so angry, and they realized they had crossed the line once again. A sense of sadness flew over Freddie's face. There goes his hope of starting a love affair. Maybe this was the last time he saw Jim and talked to him. Winifred forbade them to see Jim again. He didn't even know how long Jim would stay here at the seaside. How Freddie will write letters to him when he returns to England when he does not know his address? It seems that the only thing that will be left from Jim, would be the memory, and that drawing of him. 

_____

By the time Winifred, Roger, and Freddie cruised back toward the hotel, dusk had already begun to fall. The cruiser sailed through the gray night across the open sea. Above them, the sky was dotted with soft clouds that looked like a flock of sheep. The waves rustled rhythmically, all in the same beat. Roger and Freddie were now sitting next to each other. They were in a different mood now. They were both overwhelmed by some melancholy, and sadness was written all over their faces. Roger was sorry for everything he had said to Freddie's face, without thinking if it's going to hurt him or not. Freddie took a deep breath of the fresh smell of the sea and closed his eyes. Roger thought of Jim and put himself in Freddie's shoes. Jim was handsome and well-mannered. He never made any gesture that would make them, Omegas, uncomfortable. He was not intrusive. He didn't even flirt with them. He would just discreetly look at Freddie with that spark in his eye. Roger thought Jim must like Freddie as much as Freddie liked him. He was sorry he had to ruin such an important moment in Freddie's life. Roger suddenly remembered something he hadn't thought about before and decided to tell Freddie.

"Freddie, what do you think, is Jim married?"

"I don't know," Freddie replied in a low, indifferent voice.

"We should have asked him. Did he have a wedding ring on his hand? Or a bond mark? I can't remember if I saw his bond mark. His shirt was always buttoned up to the last button."

"Why is it our concern if Jim is married or not? We'll never see him again anyway."

"If Jim proposed to you now, would you marry him?" Roger asked.

Freddie laughed at this question. "Rog, you indeed have a vivid imagination! Of course, I wouldn't marry someone out of the blue. Yes, I wish I had Alpha by my side, but I'm not that desperate."

"But, you said he was just your type of Alpha. I don't even know what your type is. I don't know what type of Alphas you like. You never talk about them. Or with them."

"Well, maybe an Alpha I like hasn't even been born yet."

"If you continue to think that way, you'll never get married. You'll be alone forever. You know what, I think Jim liked you too."

"I don't think so. There's nothing likable about me."

"Bullshit! You're very beautiful, both inside and out. Alphas fly around me because I'm more talkative than you, and you are more on the reserved side. Look, I'm sorry I told you all that in the room this morning, and on an island. I feel protective of you, and I don't want you to end up being hurt or heartbroken. I don't want you to suffer. I want you to be happy. If anyone deserves to be happy in life then it's you. It was very strange to me that you liked some Alpha at first sight. You usually have to know Alpha very well to have feelings for him. If any. But you're unlikely to find anyone if you don't open up yourself a little bit more. We are at that age when we should marry Alpha soon. I'm glad if you're really in love with Jim. I'm just asking you to be careful until we get to know him a little better. "

"Thank you, darling. I know you wish me all the best. But it doesn't matter anymore. I'm telling you, we'll never see him again. I'll tell Daddy to choose me an Alpha he thinks is good for me and I'll marry him. "

"No, no, no! You'll choose the Alpha you like yourself. No one will tell you who you're going to marry. When we go to the beach tomorrow, we'll see if there's anyone you like. If you're going to date Alphas I will make sure you'll date only the best one. You are my beautiful brother. I love you very much," Roger said and leaned over towards Freddie to kiss him. Freddie just smiled and continued to stare at the sea.

________

Back in the hotel room, Roger slept soundly. Freddie was awake, as usual. He felt a pain in his chest as he thought about his future again. What will happen to him? A graphic designer... He will spend his whole life leaned over the paper, drawing until he dies. Will he spend his whole life working in an office? Won't he have someone to hug when he gets home from work? No, no... He'll let Roger get married first. He is an older brother and he should get married first, otherwise, people will start talking behind his back. Roger deserves to be happy and has a family. Freddie decided to stay to live with his parents. He will work hard so that Winifred and Michael won't have to struggle once they are sick and old. He will remain to take care of them, and Roger should start his own family. Freddie has lived without Alpha until now, so he can continue to live without them from now on. Freddie turned to the side and closed his eyes. He felt a crystal tear slide down his lashes, across his nose, dropping onto the pillow.


	4. A Day At The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Taylor family spends their day on the beach. Among many familiar faces on the beach, Mrs. Lorey recognizes a certain single dad and his son from London. New friendships are made.

"Look how nice it is here," Freddie said as he and Roger sat on the beach under a palm tree. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, and striped umbrellas of cheerful colors could be seen through the green palm leaves. Yellow, blue, red, and orange - the parasols looked like huge tropical flowers. Huge waves, roaring like some foaming sea creatures, rushed towards the shore. In the distance rose a large hill with conifers. The smell of the forest mingled with the smell of the sea. It had a therapeutic effect. It was as if it was making their thoughts clearer.

"Look how many Alphas are here!" Roger replied. His eyes were swallowing the half-naked bodies in front of him.

Unlike Omegas, Alphas and Betas could wear bikinis or just swimming trunks. Omegas had to be modest even on the beach. They could wear swimming trunks, but they had to wear a kind of short dress on top, with wide straps, which reached up to the middle of their thighs. That way, Omegas could enjoy the seaside without provoking Alphas showing too much skin. Some people on the beach had pinkish color and some already had a copper tan. Freddie, with his sun-kissed skin, already looked like he was spending days on the beach.

"We need to have fun, Freddie! This is life!"

Freddie loved life. He liked to have fun, but only if Roger was by his side. With him, he had more confidence to approach anyone. If he is going to live an adventurous life for the next couple of days, then, he better let Roger lead him. Freddie took the little mirror out of his beach bag and applied a thin layer of lip gloss on his plump lips. In the reflection of the mirror, he saw their mother and Mrs. Lorey approaching them.

"The view is divine! I could stand all day and look at the sea," Winifred said as she came closer to them. "Maybe we'll meet some acquaintances here. Who knows!"

The two of them spread their towels and lay down next to the boys.

"How excited I am! My niece and nephew are coming tomorrow. They're sure to like it here, too. I know a lot of people here. I've been coming to this same place for years. Here, look at that young man," Mrs. Lorey pointed in the direction of an Alpha who was walking with his head held high. "He's very conceited! He comes here every year with a different Omega. He thinks he's the prettiest one in all of New York, so it seems he wants to be the prettiest one here, too. He always wears the most expensive suits. He thinks he's some kind of aristocrat. Then, there's that Omega," Mrs. Lorey pointed to one round-faced girl, with black hair and drawn thin eyebrows. Omega had happy eyes and was very thin and tall. "Her name is Summer. She's from New York. She throws herself into the arms of every Alpha she sees. Don't hang out with her, children. Avoid her. She's carrying a pack of Alphas behind her wherever she goes. Looks like she came with her mother this year. Her mother isn't any better than her either. She taught her to be promiscuous."

"Right said, Mrs. Lorey. Don't hang out with someone who's going to get you in trouble. I want you to behave nicely. A beach is a place where anything can happen, anyone can approach you. Roger, don't drag Freddie with you. You know he doesn't like to be in the company of Alphas. I will keep an eye on you," Winifred added.

" _I'll drag him with me when you're not looking,_ " Roger thought to himself. "Freddie, shall we go swimming?"

"We will in 10 minutes."

"How are you going to swim with such long hair? It's going to be all wet."

"I will put it in a bun. Like this… You see?" Freddie said, taking his long curly hair in both of his hands to show Roger what it was going to look like. Then he let it go, and it fell like a waterfall down his back.

"Hey, look! That's the former minister's wife! She's here with her two daughters. Since her husband is no longer minister, she's completely out of sight. She doesn't hang out with anyone anymore. She used to be the main one wherever she went. She was a big humanitarian. She helped everyone," Mrs. Lorey continued to find familiar faces.

"Those ladies in leading positions should help. They can easily collect donations for volunteers. We have a lot of these volunteer societies in London. It's certainly the same in New York," Winifred said.

"Of course, of course...," Mrs. Lorey wanted to add something but was interrupted by a soft voice calling her name.

"Mrs. Lorey?" the voice said.

"Oh, Mister May! How many times have we met while we are on vacation? I think it's the fourth year in a row! And I think we'll meet for many more years! Is this Jimmy?! Oh, how sweet of a boy you are. How much you have grown! Come to kiss you, my dear!" Mrs. Lorey spread her arms and Jimmy hung his arms around her neck. She kissed him and pinched his cheeks. "How old are you?"

"I'm five years old!" Jimmy exclaimed proudly.

"Oh, you are a big boy now!" she said caressing his shiny black hair. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't introduce you, Mr. May!" She turned to Winifred and the boys and said, "Let me introduce you. This is Mrs. Winifred Taylor. She's from London, just like you. We met each other this year while we were traveling together. These are her sons, Freddie and Roger. My darlings, this is Mr. Brian May. He's an astrophysicist from London."

"Come on, Jimmy, say hello. Give me that crocodile. You see, I carry a full bag with me every morning when we go to the beach. A crocodile, a car, a boat, beach bucket, all of his favorite picture books..." Brian said.

Little Jimmy approached everyone freely and shook their hands politely. He had a wide smile on his face. There was no sign of shyness typical for kids. When he came to Roger, Roger squealed with affection and pressed the boy tightly to his chest.

"Oh, how cute you are! You're not shy at all!" Roger cooed.

"Yes, he is very free-spirited. He immediately makes friends. He already knows where to find beautiful Omegas," Brian said jokingly.

The little boy laughed all the time, and the brothers put him to sit in between them. They were showering him with kisses and hugs. Jimmy kept asking them questions, and he kept trying to open Roger's beach bag. Roger let Jimmy have fun and investigate if there was anything interesting in Roger's beach bag.

“I’m so glad we met you,” Roger said, looking at Brian. "How long are you here already?"

“We’ve been here for around a week,” Brian said.

"And you already have such a tan? I can lie on the beach for a week and yet, I would only be pink like a flamingo. I would have to spend at least a month here to have that tan color like you," Roger said.

Roger looked white as plaster in his blue bathing suit. His body was a little thinner, but his curves were outlined under his short dress. He always wanted to have a body like Freddie's, with a small waist and a firm round butt. Freddie was like a work of art in his yellow bathing suit. It gave a remarkable contrast to his dark skin.

"Some of it is my natural skin color. I often go to swimming pools with Jimmy over the summer. We both love water and we enjoy being at the seaside better than at the mountains," Brian said.

At that moment, they heard something crackled. Roger's sunglasses were lying broken on his towel. Jimmy found them in Roger's bag and played with them. He accidentally stepped on them and broke them so that the glass fell completely out of the frame and it shattered into several unequal pieces.

"Jimmy! What did you do? You broke Roger's sunglasses!" Brian scolded his son. "He will not want to hang out with you anymore."

"Oh, it's not big of a deal. Come here!" Roger said to Jimmy and pulled him to his chest again. "Do you want me to tell you stories? I know a lot of stories. Or maybe you'd like to collect seashells together?"

"Be careful not to step on glass," Brian said as he bent down to pick up the broken parts of Roger's sunglasses. "Jimmy, you have to buy Roger new sunglasses. Maybe it's a good thing they broke. They probably hid your pretty face too much."

"On the contrary! I think I was even more beautiful with them!" Roger said, smiling playfully.

Roger took a better look at Brian. He was very tall and thin. His black curly hair rose high above his head, making him even taller. He had a beautiful long face with mild eyes and a bit larger nose. Roger couldn't estimate how old Brian was, but he would say he was in his early thirties.

"Come on, Jimmy, let's go find a place on the beach," Brian urged his son to come with him.

"Can Freddie and I go with you?" Roger asked.

"Of course! I'll show you where there's a good place to swim. I know this place very well. I also like to walk on the beach. It's good for your health. I've been on that hill too. Nature is outstanding there," Brian said.

The four of them walked across the beach. Roger and Brian were going forward and Freddie walked behind them, holding Jimmy's hand.

"Do you want to give me that crocodile of yours?" Freddie asked Jimmy.

"I won't! Dad bought this for me. Why don't you buy yourself one? I'll give you the shells when I collect them. Do you also want to collect the shells with us?"

"Where are we going to find the shells?"

"There are a lot of shells all along the shore. There are even in the sea. I'll show you!" Jimmy jumped excitedly.

"Brian ... did you come here with someone or are you alone?" Roger asked.

"No, Jimmy and I are here alone. It's a long story. My husband left me just a few months after Jimmy was born. He left us and never called again. He ran away with another Alpha. I take care of our son all by myself. I try to be a good father the best I can. "

At that moment Jimmy ran up to them screaming. His feet were falling through the hot sand.

"Dad, Dad! Freddie told me elephants are bigger than crocodiles!"

"Yes, honey, elephants are bigger."

"And he also told me that a crocodile can eat a man! Is it so that my crocodile can't bite?"

"That's right, son. It's just a toy. It's not a real crocodile."

"I'm not afraid of crocodiles!" Jimmy said, all cheerful and happy, and ran back to Freddie. Jimmy loved to talk a lot, and he had already started to call Freddie " _my friend, Freddie_ ".

They finally went swimming. The brothers shuddered as they stepped into the water, which was a little cold against their sun-scorched bodies. They didn't go too deep into the water, because of Jimmy. They swam slowly, playing on the waves. After only a few minutes in the water, Freddie got a cramp in his leg, so he quickly went ashore and sat on a large rock. He climbed up there and sat, while drops of salt seawater, which shone like crystals in the sun, were dripping down his body. The waves keep crashing against the sharp edges of the rock. Freddie let his hair down from the bun, shook his head, and it fell over his shoulders. The cramp in his leg eased a little and he no longer felt pain. He leaned back on his hands and watched a sailboat in the distance. Seagulls flew around it. Freddie got up from the stone and when he turned behind him, he saw an Alpha watching him from the shade of an olive tree. A painting canvas was placed in front of him and he held a palette of colors in his hand. Alpha stopped painting and looked at Freddie with a spark in his eyes that irresistibly resembled the look in the eyes of one of those three Alphas who caught him and Roger in the dungeons. Freddie got scared and looked down. He quickened his pace when he heard Alpha yelling something after him and telling him to stop. Alpha walked over to Freddie and touched his shoulder. Freddie jumped in place and looked at Alpha in surprise.

"I'm sorry, I watched you sitting on that rock, and the waves crashing around you. You looked like a nymph. With long hair and a tanned body… I was impressed when I saw you. Would you like to pose for me?"

"No, thank you, I have to go. I want to go swimming. I just got to the beach this morning."

"Okay, but promise me you'll pose for me. You'd be the kind of model I could only wish for," his eyes had a strange dark color.

"I can't promise you anything."

Freddie turned around, gathered his hair back in a bun. He stopped on the shore as if he was considering whether to return to the sea or not. Roger, Brian, and Jimmy raced over who can swim faster. Although it was difficult for Roger and Brian to swim in such shallow water. It barely reached up to their hips. Brian promised to buy ice cream for the winner.

"Freddie!" Jimmy ran to Freddie, leaving his little footprints in the wet sand. "Let me show you where the seashells are!"

He took Freddie's hand and took a lead. They sat on the sand and Jimmy made a small hole with his plastic spade. Shells of all colors, buried under the sand like a treasure, shone in the July sun. They carefully took them out and rinsed them off the sand, then put them in Jimmy’s beach bucket. Brian and Roger came out of the water and showed Jimmy how to make a sandcastle.

Winifred and Lorey watched the boys, playing with Jimmy, sitting under a palm tree.

"Roger has always loved children. He has a great desire to have a child of his own one day. And my Freddie…. Ah..." a sigh escaped from Winifred's chest. "Maybe this is too intimate to say, but… he always had irregular heats. I took him to the doctor, but nothing. They say he will have a problem conceiving. I'm afraid no Alpha will want him when they hear about it. Freddie is conscious and sensitive about it. I think that's partly why he feels so insecure in the company of Alphas. He's afraid he's going to fall in love with some Alpha, and that he's going to leave him if he finds out about Freddie's problem. That would break him completely."

"Don't worry, darling. Both of your sons are golden children. They will find good husbands. Destiny somehow arranges everything in ways that are unimaginable to us," Winifred comforted her. "Unfortunately, there are people with whom destiny has played a game. Mr. May, for example. He is a wonderful man, very intelligent. He has a job and a big house. But, you see... He is not happy. His husband left him and escaped with some Alpha who works as an actor. Mr. May has to do everything by himself - to take care of the child, to work, and to do housework. He is in those years when it would not be bad to have some help at least around the child. He would like to get married but, he said to me that he is now afraid of marriage. He told me that personally last year. He said that he is afraid that his new husband might leave him and find a lover. He deserves to be loved and appreciated by someone. He is truly wonderful! "

On the beach, children were screaming with joy. Some kid was crying, not wanting to get out of the water. Jimmy was still playing with his dad and his new friends.

"Wait, Jimmy, I'm going to bury you in the sand. You lie down and I'm going to cover you with the sand so only your head is visible," Roger said.

Jimmy lied next to Roger. At first, he squirmed and shuffled his feet, but soon he calmed down and was patiently waiting to be covered with sand. He ended up looking like a small hill.

"Well, now that I've buried you, I can tell you a story, and you have to listen. Once upon a time, there was a brother and a sister who had a boat. One day they got into a boat and sailed away..." Roger was telling a story he was making up along the way. Jimmy listened carefully to each word, looking at Roger with his bright eyes. Brian was lying next to them on a towel. He closed his eyes and listened to Roger's story.

Winifred approached them and invited the boys to leave. "Come on, children, let's go back to the room. You've spent a lot of time in the sun today. You can't sunbathe too much on the first day, you'll get blebs on your skin." Roger and Freddie immediately got up like soldiers who just heard an order.

"Why do you have to go?" Jimmy asked Roger sadly.

"I'm leaving now, but I'll come again tomorrow. I'll tell you a story again. If you want, you can tell me one too."

"I'll tell you if you tell me first! Wait, Freddie! I want to give you seashells," Jimmy stood up easily under the sand. He shook himself briefly to get rid of sand that was stubbornly stuck on his body, and grabbed the shells from his beach bucket, and gave them to Freddie. Freddie took them and kissed Jimmy on the forehead.

"Thank you so much, darling! You gave me all the prettiest ones!"

___________

Winifred and her sons were returning to the hotel for lunch. Buildings lined up next to them. New and old ones. The old ones had thick white walls, and they almost looked like towers. The newer ones were built in typical coastal style, with small balconies and fenced gardens. Modern hotels with neon lights were built between them. It is as if the past, present, and future have agreed that they will all exist together in this small town. Freddie paused in front of a house with a big rose garden. He always dreamed that one day he would have a big house with a garden in which he would plant all his favorite flowers. He reached through the fence with his hand and carefully, not to sting his fingers with thorns, he picked a single red rose. Winifred and Roger spotted a fig seller and ran to buy a full bag of figs. Freddie didn't even notice they were gone. When he turned he couldn't see them anywhere. He didn't know where they had gone. He decided to go back to the hotel. They will probably be there before him. Freddie just started to descend the stone steps, when in front of him, out of nowhere, a painter from the beach appeared.

"Hello, beautiful! Sorry, I scared you on the beach. Even now when I look at you I could paint you. A red rose in your hands, big brown eyes hidden in the shade of a hat… I would put you in the gallery. You would bring me a lot of money. Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Jared. I'm from Scotland," Alpha said.

Freddie was already starting to panic in his head, the way he would always panic when someone complimented him. Confused, he looked away and saw out of the corner of his eye Roger's blonde hair and Winifred's fluttering dress, and immediately called them over. Thank goodness he won't be alone with this Alpha. Winifred looked at the painter questioningly and raked him with her gaze from head to toe.

"I'm Freddie, and this is my mom Winifred. We're from London. Mom, Jared is a painter. This morning while I was sitting on a rock he was painting and he asked me to be his model."

Winifred questioningly raised her eyebrow high and crossed her arms over her chest.

"This is my brother Roger," Freddie introduced him to the painter.

"Brother?" Alpha asked in surprise. "You look like you're from two different nations."

"Really? What ethnicity would you say I belong to?" Roger asked cheerfully.

"I'd say you're a typical Englishman. You have such pale skin with pink undertones and blonde hair. And Freddie… He looks like an Asian to me."

"Asian?" Freddie asked in disbelief.

"Yes, that's a compliment. Don't you think so? Asians look very exotic. Anyway… Nice to meet you. Think again about my offer to be my model. I stayed over there, in that private house. I didn't want to rent a hotel room," Jared pointed in the direction of his accommodation. "See you around!"

_________

After lunch, Roger and Freddie decided to take a walk up the hill with a coniferous forest. Through the tall branches of the conifers, the blue sea could be seen. Against the green forest, the sea didn't look like water at all. Calm and quiet, it looked more like someone had spread blue silk. The colors were a paradise for the eyes. People rested in the woods, lying on the grass or a blanket, while others sat on the bare ground or a bench. On one bench they spotted Brian. He was reading a newspaper. Next to him, Jimmy was lying on a bench and was sleeping with his head in Brian's lap. The brothers just walked by and nodded hello to Brian. They didn't want to say a word in order not to wake Jimmy up. They went further into the forest along a winding path that was intersected by thick tree roots. The chirping of birds and the fresh air had a calming effect on the nerves. There were taps of someone's feet behind them. It was Jimmy running towards them.

"Jimmy! Have you woken up yet?" Roger asked.

"Don't ask me anything. He talked about you all day. How you played with him and told him stories," Brian replied.

Jimmy was out of breath how fast he ran to get to Roger and Freddie. When he heard that Roger and Freddie had passed next to them, he immediately ran after them to catch them up before they went away. His cheeks were pink and he was all sweaty. Jimmy stood between Roger and Freddie and took their hands. He squeezed them tightly in his chubby fists like he was sad they will have to say goodbye again soon. Brian watched the three of them walk together under the tall cypresses. Freddie showed Jimmy the mushrooms growing on the wet forest ground. Roger gave him one big pinecone, to always remind him of this place. Jimmy was happy. He was jumping from foot to foot all the time. It looked like a happy family to Brian. He wished he could call that family his own.


	5. Suggestive Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie's and Roger's small circle of friends is expanding. Frankie and Goldie, Mrs. Lorey's nephew and niece, have come to the seaside. Roger has something important to say to Freddie. He saw Jim after they haven't seen him for a whole week. Freddie can't find the courage he needs to meet with Alpha he likes so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to wish Merry Christmas to all of my readers who are celebrating it today. Hope you have a wonderful time!

Trigger warning: masturbation in public

At dinner at the hotel restaurant, Winifred and her sons and Mrs. Lorey and her nephew and niece were sitting at the biggest table.

"Aunt wrote to us all about you. How kind and good you are to her. And she also wrote to us about Freddie and Roger, how beautiful and full of life they are," Mrs' Lorey niece Goldie said. 

Goldie was a very likable Omega. She was short, with strong thighs and flat breasts. She had blue eyes and golden hair. The name suited her perfectly. She used to dye her hair red, and its color has remained only on the tips of her hair. She had a squeaky voice and was stretching her words when she spoke. She was honest and open-minded, telling exactly what she thinks.

"We can see that for ourselves now," Frankie, Mrs. Lorey's nephew said. 

Frankie was a tall Alpha. He was very pale, with a skin complexion white as porcelain. He had brown hair and a deep voice. He was very cheerful, although his gaze was often thoughtful.

"I like it here!" Goldie exclaimed. "When I saw that hill over there, I immediately told myself I had to go and see it. I love the sea but I also love the forest. We love to play chess. Do you know how to play chess?"

Roger and Freddie shook their heads.

"It doesn't matter, we'll teach you. When it rains, the time passes faster when you have something to do for fun," she continued. "Aunt, can we go for a walk with Roger and Freddie now?"

"You can't go now, Goldie. The waiters haven't even bought us dinner yet. When you're done eating, you can go," Mrs. Lorey replied.

"I don't know… I don't like it when Roger and Freddie walk the streets in the dark. Maybe they better go tomorrow afternoon, when they get back from the beach?" Winifred said worriedly.

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart! My Frankie will look after them. Let them enjoy life while they're still young. Let them take a walk, and they'll be right back in the room for an hour or so. We're all in the same hotel, so they will all come back together," Mrs. Lorey assured Winifred she had nothing to worry about.

"Alright, then…"

___________

Walking down the promenade, the new friends had a chance to get to know each other a little better.

"So you're from London? London is such a beautiful city!" Goldie said.

"Have you ever been there?" Roger asked.

"We've been two or three times by far. It's very nice. It has some really good disco clubs."

"Have you ever been to New York?" Frankie asked the brothers.

"No, we're not. Dad doesn't let us travel alone, and Mom doesn't always have the time and money to travel with us," Roger said.

"Are you two still students?" Goldie asked.

"No, I finished my studies. I work as a dentist."

"Dentist? I'm always so happy when I hear Omegas have high education. I work as a pharmacist. I make face creams. You know how the cosmetics industry dictates that Omegas are not pretty enough if they don't put on five different types of creams on their faces. We make recipes for those creams. You don't need them at all, tho. I noticed right away that you have clean skin," Frankie said, addressing Roger and Freddie. "One day I want to have my own pharmacy. I've already started saving money and looking at some locations around town that would be suitable for that."

"I wish you all the luck," Roger said.

"It's all going to be alright," Frankie said, smiling enthusiastically. 

A small group of friends came to the end of the promenade and turned to the shore. The night was chilly, and small fishing boats swayed lonely on the waves. In one such boat, Jared sat and drew inspiration from the round moon, whose redness was reflected in the black seawater.

"I have the pleasure of seeing you again," Jared said as he stepped out of the boat and kissed the knuckles of Freddie's hand. Freddie introduced him to Mrs. Lorey's nephew and niece.

A small child silhouette ran to meet them. That was Jimmy. He ran towards Roger, and hung his arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Jimmy was followed by his dad.

"I can't help it! As soon as he hears you, he runs to you," Brian said, smiling broadly. "Oh, hello Frankie! I saw you last year. I haven't seen you in a long time, Goldie. You grew up so fast! You're a grown girl now."

Brian hugged and kissed Frankie and Goldie. He was so happy to see them as if he had met his own relatives after a long time.

"I haven't grown up at all! I'm still so short. I wanted to be as tall as Frankie."

"I know Mr. Jared too! So I'm in familiar company today. I like to go out when night falls because then I can see the stars. Tonight we'll be able to see the shooting stars. So, be careful not to miss it," Brian said.

"Do you want to go boating?" Jared proposed to everyone and they all agreed.

"Jimmy, my love! Come here for Aunt Goldie to kiss you!" Goldie lifted Jimmy to the height of her face and kissed his chubby cheeks so she left traces of her red lipstick all over his skin.

“Don’t lift him. He's very heavy,” Brian warned her and took Jimmy from her arms. He put him to sit in the fishing boat. "Wait, let's see if we can all sit here. Come on, you who are tinier, sit on one side, and we'll sit opposed to you."

Jimmy was sitting between Freddie and Roger. Jared was sitting next to Freddie, and Goldie was sitting next to Roger. Opposite Roger sat Brian, who had barely managed to fit his long legs into such a small boat. Frankie sat next to him, watching his sister and Roger and Freddie all the time because they had been entrusted to him tonight to take care of them. Jared plunged his oars into the waves and the boat sailed slowly.

"Look! A shooting star! There's another one! We have to make a wish," Brian said.

"Did you make a wish?" Jared whispered in Freddie's ear. Freddie's scent permeated all his senses. He could feel his soft hair on his cheek. "Because I certainly am. I wished to find out what was hiding behind that beautiful face of yours."

Freddie instinctively curled up on his seat. He was suddenly feeling cold. If only he had sat somewhere else… Now, Jared will be panting in his ear all evening.

"Freddie, can you speak?" Jared asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I noticed you didn't say a word all evening..."

"Oh, Freddie is always like that! He doesn't talk much. He's silent when he's among new and unknown people. But once he gets to know you, you won't be able to get rid of him," Roger explained.

"... and when I ask you a question, others are answering it instead of you," Jared said, shooting Roger a look, before turning his full attention back to Freddie. "In that case, let's get to know each other better. Come to my makeshift atelier tomorrow, to finish that painting of you from the beach." Jared's lips brushed Freddie's sensitive skin behind his ears.

"I… umm… I don't…"

"What is it, beautiful? Am I making you confused? I like you very much. You have a strange, enigmatic look. You are so gentle. You would be a wonderful model to me…"

"I told you… I… I can't promise you anything."

"Whenever I'm at sea I always get the will to get married. I would choose you as my husband. Every painter should have his partner as a muse and model. I would make a new Mona Lisa out of you. Look… I'm not exactly rich. But as an art teacher, I could live quite decently. You, of course, wouldn't work. Forget about your degree and job. My Omega will sit at home and give me children. Gosh! One Alpha should never come to the seaside without Omega."

"Hey! Get away from him!" Frankie growled at Jared in his deep bass voice. "Can't you see he doesn't like you! You're scaring him! Leave him alone."

"Shut up! He's not your Omega!"

"He is with me tonight! He and Roger are both under my wing when they're not accompanied by their mother or my aunt! Get your dirty paws away from him."

"Shhhh… Jimmy is sleeping!" Roger whispered to them. There was a dead silence. Jimmy rested his head on Roger's shoulder. He was breathing rhythmically.

"Of course he's asleep. He's tired. He has spent all day in the water. Like that is not enough, he wants to go out for a walk in the evening," Brian said.

"I'll put him to lie on my lap so he can sleep at peace," Roger said. He hugged Jimmy and pulled him closer to him.

"No, he's too heavy. We'd better get back to shore. I'll carry him to the hotel."

________

Upon returning to the shore, the situation was very awkward. Brian was already on his way to the hotel with Jimmy. Freddie looked relieved that they had finally gotten out of the boat. Frankie's gaze continued to follow Jared's every move. He took his three Omegas by the arm and headed back to their rooms. Jared followed them at a decent distance. He was just so far away that if Frankie turned, he wouldn't be able to see him. He wanted to see where the brothers were staying. He saw them enter a hotel with a poor-looking facade, and he quickly ran to get there. He sat in front of the hotel, under a tall palm tree. Darkness protected him from the view of passers-by. No one could see him, but he saw everything and everyone. His gaze shifted from window to window, as if searching for something. Or someone. In the rectangular lighted window openings, people could be seen in their rooms getting ready for bed. A light came on in one window and all Jared's senses rushed there. Jared saw Freddie's silhouette and his eyes widened. He saw Freddie's curls bouncing as he took off his T-shirt over his head. His gaze dropped lower to Freddie's bare legs. He could see his every curve, even though it was just his silhouette. Jared felt a familiar desire for Freddie when he saw his small waist and his round butt. He put one hand in his pants and started stroking his throbbing dick. His dick was getting harder as he fantasized about what he would do to Freddie if Freddie agreed to be his Omega. Perversions lined up in his mind, one after another until Jared felt the well-known liquid squirt into his underwear. Freddie's silhouette disappeared from the window and the light in the room went out. Jared got up from the bench and the night covered him.

________

It had been eight days since the Taylors had come to the sea. Their days passed quickly in socializing, swimming, and walking. The brothers enjoyed the company of their new friends. Frankie, Goldie, Brian, Jimmy, and the two brothers would spend every day together, from dusk till dawn. They enjoyed each new day, which was filled with laughter and fond memories. During the day they would be on the beach, and in the evening they would walk in the woods. Tonight was nothing different than usual. Freddie was sitting on a bench reading a book, while Roger was somewhere around. He was probably playing hide and seek with Jimmy. Freddie's moment of calm was interrupted by Roger running towards him and screaming his name. Roger looked all flustered. Only the worst thoughts went through Freddie's head. The book fell out of his hands and he looked very scared. The first thing he thought about was that their dad was sick. Roger was running to let him know they will have to hurry back home. He knew Michael had a weak heart. Freddie suddenly couldn't feel his legs. He could feel all the color leaving his cheeks. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Freddie! Freddie!" Roger ran up to him, barely being able to breathe.

"Wh… what is it, Roger? Why are you so flustered? Say it! What's going on. Say it, Rog!" Freddie asked, but he was terrified to hear the answer.

"Do you know who I just saw?" Roger spoke quickly. He put his hands on his knees trying to catch a breath.

"Who?"

"Jim!"

Freddie wanted to say something, but his heart was pounding way too quickly. Something tightened up inside his throat. After a few seconds, he asked quietly, "Jim? Are you sure?"

Roger just nodded his head, still trying to establish a normal breathing rhythm. Poor thing. Who knows how long and far he had run just to tell Freddie he saw Jim. The color returned to Freddie's cheeks. In several layers. His cheeks burned so that the blush could be seen even under his tanned skin. He didn't know what to say. His words and thoughts lost all their ability to form into anything meaningful. He barely pulled himself together. A smile of relief formed unconsciously on his face. So, dad is fine after all. He started laughing maniacally. He has never felt greater relief in his life.

"Look how happy you are!" Roger looked at him. His face shining from joy, because his brother's joy was his joy as well. "Just wait until I tell you I know in which hotel he stayed! I rushed to tell you as soon as I saw him."

"Quick, Roger. Come on, maybe he'll go out for a walk and we'll see him again."

"I told you, Freddie, that I have suggestive power! I wouldn't let Alpha you like to just go away that easily."

Roger and Freddie rushed down the hill. They ran so fast like a herd of wild boars was chasing after them. They almost looked like they were flying since their feet were barely touching the ground. In front of their hotel, they recounted with Winifred, almost knocking her to the ground.

"Where are you two running like crazy, for God's sake! You're going to knock someone down. If you want to go to dinner, you're late. The restaurant is already closed. Where have you been?" She asked them.

"We were in the woods on a hill."

"Just so you know I saw that Alpha of yours. What was his name? Yes, Jim! We haven't seen him for a long time. Don't you think? You don't think that I don't know why you're running like you're out of your minds. Didn't I forbid you from seeing him?"

"But, mom… We…"

"Freddie likes him!" Roger said without giving it a second thought.

"Rog…"

"How can you like some Alpha you don't know? Isn't that a bit of a whim decision? What is his job, you said? I forgot," Winifred asked.

"He's a hairdresser," Freddie said softly. He was so shy to talk about his feelings. Besides, as a graphic designer, he would probably earn more than Jim. Which was unacceptable for one Omega. They will never be accepted, as a couple, in any society. But Freddie has never felt that kind of attraction to anyone before Jim. Will it be worth fighting for this potential relationship? Maybe it was all just so stupid from his side.

"Mom, listen… Freddie likes him because Jim is handsome and beautiful. They'll eventually get to know each other a little better. I'm going to the room to change my shirt, I'm all sweaty. I've been running all evening. Freddie, wait for me here, I'll be down in a minute."

"I'm going to the room, it's late. Don't stay out too late, children," Winifred said and stroked Freddie's cheek. "God! Your father will kill me if he finds out I'm letting you walk alone at night. You'll be the death of me, I swear!"

Roger and Winifred climbed into the room, and Freddie stayed to wait for Roger in front of the hotel. He walked a couple of steps up and down the promenade. He sat on a bench in front of the hotel entrance and watched passers-by lit by street lamps. He looked for Jim, but he wasn't there. Freddie's heart pounded again and he pressed the palms of his hands to his chest as if he wanted to stop that wild rhythm. If Jim showed up now, what would Freddie do? He imagined him standing in front of him, lighting a cigarette and turning to look him in the face. Freddie shook his head. He probably wouldn't know how to put together a single coherent sentence. Jim would think he's stupid. He's probably too confused and clumsy for Jim's taste anyway. The pain in Freddie's chest gave him a feeling like he had a huge gaping hole instead of a heart. A severe headache was accompanied by his uneven heartbeat. His temples throbbed as if his head would explode at any second. He didn't feel well. He got up from the bench and took small steps, staggering his way towards the hotel. Some Alpha ran towards him.

"Freddie! Freddie, are you okay?" That was Jared. "Where are you, beautiful? I haven't seen you all day. You look like you're not feeling well."

"Yeah, I probably spent too much time in the sun. I will for sure get a fever tonight."

Jared grabbed him by the arm, not letting him go for a moment.

"I hope you get better soon. Where are you going now?"

"To my room."

"This early? The evening is very warm. It's going to be very pleasant to hang out by the sea. We could all go for a walk together."

"No, thank you. I can't hang out with you tonight. I want to go to bed," Freddie replied in a low voice.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Jared sighed. "I wanted to take you to my studio, to show you my paintings. I have your sketch there, too. When you were lying on that rock, remember? I liked that pose. It looks very natural."

Freddie smiled. "I've never been good at posing anyway."

"No, no, that's not true. What I would like the most, is to capture those eyes of yours, on the canvas. But, I'm afraid that my paintbrush won't be able to capture all that beauty." Jared looked at Freddie again with the same burning spark in his eyes. His hand tightened around Freddie's arm, and his palms were burning hot. Freddie snatched his hand from Jared's. With a short "Goodnight", Freddie hurried to his room. He was very careful not to get dizzy and fall.

Winifred was surprised to see him at the door. She hurried him inside after seeing how very pale he was.

"What's going on? Didn't you see Roger when he went out with Frankie and Goldie? Why aren't you with them?"

Freddie shook his head. "I'm going to be in my room tonight. I'm going to bed. I think I'm going to get a fever. Can you get me some aspirin? This headache is killing me."

"Sure, honey. Go lie down. Go get some rest. First, go wash your face. The cold water will refresh you. I'll get you some medicine now. I told you not to go out in the sun without a hat."

Freddie went to his room but did not go to bed. He sat by the window and watched the small insects swarming around the street lamps. Chest pain did not decrease. He felt some unexplainable joy through that pain and even some strange excitement. There was also fear in that excitement. He always had a strong intuition. He knew that something grand would happen during their stay at the sea. Something he won't be able to prevent. He walked a few steps around the room, pressing the palm of his hand to his forehead. The gentle breeze was calling him to return to the window and breathe in the fresh sea air. He saw in the distance four silhouettes walking across the promenade. Jim was with them. Roger and Goldie in the middle, and Jim and Frankie on the sides. Jim seemed thoughtful and silent. Freddie heard Goldie's loud laughter. He quickly got up from the window and hid behind the curtain. From there, he could see them passing by the hotel and heading towards the shore. When they got out of sight, Freddie reluctantly threw himself into bed, face down. He was thinking about Jim. About their conversations from the beginning of their vacation. Tonight, Jim looked as silent as he was on the night Freddie had first met him on the ship. Freddie rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He didn't even notice when his thoughts lulled him to sleep. When Winifred entered Freddie's room, he was already asleep. She quietly put down a glass of water and aspirin on the bedside table and covered Freddie with a thin bedsheet. She touched his cheeks and forehead to see if he had a fever. He wasn't warm to the touch. He will feel better when he wakes up in the morning. Winifred tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind her.


	6. Ukulele

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddie confronts Jared, and Jared is determined to hurt Freddie the same way Freddie hurt him - using words.  
> Freddie and Jim finally meet. Freddie feels less nervous around him.  
> Frankie invites everyone to a dance party. At the party, Roger takes initiative and kisses Brian. Jared bullies Freddie and Freddie runs out of the hall.  
> While Freddie was sitting alone outside, deep into his thoughts, Jim joined him. After Jim starts hugging him and holding his hands, Freddie panics and leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, my little darlings! I wish you all the best in 2021!

Freddie was looking for shade as a shelter from the midday sun. He lay under the parasol. He put his white hat over his face to protect himself further. Through the small holes in his straw hat, he could see everything around him. Will he see Jim today? Will Jim come to swim today? There was a big crowd on the beach. If Jim comes to the beach, how will he be able to find them? Freddie's heart pounded again and he was afraid he might get unwell again. He sat straight on his towel and took a few sips of cold lemonade. He spat out the last sip and quickly laid back on the towel, covering his face. He saw Jim coming. Maybe Jim won't see him if he stays laying still. Freddie closed his eyes and opened them again. He watched Jim through the holes in his hat. Jim was wearing bathing shorts. His body was very handsome. He wasn't overly muscular, but he looked very strong. He had a rounder belly. His chest and stomach were covered with dark hair. Freddie became aware of his own body and the insecurities overwhelmed him. With a body like this, he certainly won't leave a good impression on Jim. Jim stood just a few steps away from him. He looked like he was looking for someone. Roger approached and greeted him. Roger saw Freddie in the shade of a parasol. He called for him to come to say Hello.

"Freddie, don't you see Jim's here?" Roger said, leaning over Freddie's face. 

Freddie got up from the towel and Jim shuddered as he saw Freddie standing in front of him. Freddie looked freshened up in the face compared to the last time Jim saw him. His eyes were more vivid. He looked like he had lost a few grams here and there. It wasn't much, but it was noticeable on his already slim body. His wrists were awfully thin. He was so small that Jim wanted to hug him as tightly as he could and carry him everywhere with him like a small cat. His skin became tighter from sunbathing and swimming and it had a copper, shimmering color. His otherwise black hair now had a few brown strands because it was directly exposed to the sun.

"Freddie? Is that you? I was standing right next to you and I didn't notice you," Jim said with a wide smile that warmed Freddie's soul. Because Freddie, most of all things, liked to see the two dimples form on Jim's cheeks. Jim looked at Freddie with his brown eyes. But it was not the look that the other Alphas gave him, full of lust and possessiveness. Jim's gaze caressed him. It was such a gentle gaze, like the warm wind on the beach.

"I put a hat over my face so you didn't see me," Freddie stammered softly.

"You look great!" Jim replied. "I heard you're not feeling your best. Is it because of the sun?"

"Yes, because of the sun. That's why I'm lying in the shade now. And you? We haven't seen you in a week?" Freddie asked. Freddie, Roger, and Jim sat under the parasol. They didn't want to stand in the sun because of Freddie.

"I was sick too. I didn't leave my room at all. The hotel staff brought me food. I had some virus, but now I'm completely fine," Jim said. Freddie looked at him with a dreamy smile on his lips. Roger noticed that Jimmy was playing alone in the sand, so he got up and joined him. It was just an excuse for him to leave Freddie and Jim alone. Jimmy could hardly wait to see Roger again. That day, Jimmy didn’t stop crying. His eyes were red and his nose was stuffed from how hard he cried. Brian didn't know how to calm him down. Brian told Roger that Jimmy was crying because he hadn't seen him and Freddie all day, and he wanted to play with them so badly.

"Oh, my sweety! Don't cry! Come to me," Roger hugged Jimmy tightly and wiped his tear-soaked cheeks. "I love you so very much!"

Now Jimmy was in a better mood. He giggled and wanted to put sand on Roger's head. Frankie came to play with them, and he told others that there is a dance party tonight in their hotel. He had heard that there would be live music as well. Brian hesitated, not knowing what to say. He would like to hang out with someone who is an adult, and not spend all day in the sand playing with plastic toys.

"I'd like to go, but I have to put Jimmy to sleep. If he falls asleep, I'll come," Brian said.

Freddie and Jim watched the three of them play together and laughed. Jared watched them too.

"Isn't it Omega's job to take care of the kids? One Alpha shouldn't be doing Omega's job. It's degrading," Jared said, with a disgusted expression on his face. Jim frowned at his comment but said nothing. He did not want to start a fight.

"If there is going to be live music, only a crazy person can miss it. I have to come," Jared said. Freddie groaned and rolled his eyes. Frankie frowned, and Roger pursed his lips in displeasure. Goldie huffed in annoyance. No one was excited to hear that Jared would be at the party. Ever since he bothered Freddie on a fishing boat, everyone has started avoiding him. Jared, however, did not give up on the idea of hanging out with them. He imposed himself that wherever they go, he goes with them. The fact was, no one wanted him in their company. Especially Freddie, who was very tensed up as soon as someone would even mention his name.

Jared approached Freddie and Jim and sat between them.

"Hello, beautiful! What are you doing?" Jared asked Freddie, a little too enthusiastically. "I brought a sketch to show you since you don't want to come to my studio to see it yourself."

Jared took one glance at Jim and continued to talk boldly to Freddie, paying no more attention to Jim, as if he wasn't there with them. Jim watched Jared with a glowing gaze. He was propped up on the elbow of his left hand. All the tenderness from his eyes disappeared. It was replaced by some hidden, dark, and jealous anger. He could already feel that he would not get along well with this Alpha at all. Jared was leaning more and more toward Freddie, sometimes touching his shoulder or knee. Jim saw that Freddie didn't like that kind of attention and he instinctively wanted to protect him. He couldn't use his fists in this place. Jim was not a violent person, though he would now gladly merge his fist with Jared's smirking face.

Freddie got up without a word and headed towards the sea. He probably tried to escape from that annoying painter. He wanted to cry at that moment. He was overwhelmed with sadness, which mingled with joy. It was still something he couldn't explain to himself. His senses did not give him peace. Jared followed him, not leaving him alone. Freddie was on the edge of his nerves.

"It's good you got up. I wanted to be alone with you," Jared said, closing the free space between them.

"Why?" Freddie asked while he continued to walk.

"I like you. I've been by your side all the time for a week. The stone would catch feelings. I can't sleep at night, since I saw you on the rock that day..."

"Well, I don't like you! I don't like anything about you. I beg you to leave me alone!" Freddie yelled.

"Are you running away from me? You're also avoiding looking at me. Why is that?" Jared insisted on Freddie with his questions.

"I have my reasons."

"What are your reasons? You like Frankie, huh?"

"Yes, I like Frankie. Just like I like his sister and aunt."

"Then we won't call him to hang out with us anymore."

Freddie paused resolutely. He had it enough. Jared was constantly flying around him and it made his stomach turn.

"Listen. How about we don't call you to hang out with us anymore? Nobody likes your presence! I don't want to have anything to do with you. I shy away from your attention and I don't like it. I don't want to be your Omega. Neither now nor ever. And I think I've been more than clear when I said I don't want to hang out with you, I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to be anywhere near you. And I would ask you to respect my decision."

Jared's eyes darkened and he pressed his lips tight furiously.

"Well, that's very rude to say to someone! We'll see about that, Freddie!" Jared said as he turned on his heel and left. For now. Freddie knew very well that Jared would not leave him alone for at least some time. At least Freddie let him know how he felt about him.

Freddie walked through the water along the shore. Cold seawater cut his ankles. He heard Jim's footsteps behind him. He was trying to catch up with Freddie. He was beside him in a matter of seconds.

"Can I join you? I'll go back if I bother you," Jim asked, worried not to upset Freddie even more. He saw him talking to Jared. It must not have ended well.

Freddie nodded. He stared at his feet disappearing and emerging from the foamy water. Even his steps were furious.

"You're in a really bad mood today."

"No, I am not," Freddie replied, forcing a smile on his face, but his eyes were sad.

"No, I can see you're sad. Understandable. That guy is a weirdo. If he keeps bothering you, tell me. I won't let him hurt you."

"Thanks… But ... I don't need Alpha to protect me. I know perfectly well how to take care of myself," Freddie said, definitely raising his nose high. He was so cute. He reminded Jim of a stubborn child.

"I bet you can," Jim said. "Just so you know, there's a spider on your hat," Jim added, pointing to Freddie's hat.

Freddie's scream ripped Jim's ear. He tapped his feet in place as if he were walking on hot coal. Freddie was afraid to take off his hat so the spider wouldn't attack him and crawl down his arm. It made him panic even more. He could have died right here. Spiders were his biggest phobia.

"Take it off! Take it off! Is it gone?! Jim!!!" Freddie screamed on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Jim covered his mouth with his hand to hide his laughter. He walked over to Freddie and took his hat off.

"I was just joking! I am so sorry. I didn't know you were afraid of spiders. I tricked you. I wanted to see your hair. It's so pretty. You have some brown strands that turn golden. It's because of the sun. Sorry, I can't help it, it's a professional deformation of mine."

Freddie stared at Jim with his mouth open. He listened to the compliments Jim was giving him and couldn't believe his ears.

"You could have just told me to take off my hat to see my hair! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Freddie crossed his arms over his chest and continued to walk hurriedly. He was even more irritable now. Jim was amused by his behavior. He was like a big kid. Of course, if he had known that Freddie was afraid of spiders, he would never have mentioned it to him. At least now he knows Freddie is irresistible even when he's frowning.

“You have to put a hat on your head,” Jim walked beside him holding Freddie’s hat in his hand.

"I will not put it on my head, never again!"

"But you have to. You'll get sick from the sun again."

"Arrrgh!" Freddie snatched his hat from Jim's hand. He looked at it from all sides to make sure there were no spiders or other beetles or insects on it or in it. He then angrily put it on his head. He was pouting, refusing to slow down his walking pace.

Yep. He was a literal child.

________

Jared was fuming angry at Freddie. It hurt him that Freddie had so openly rejected him. Now he will hurt Freddie too, where it hurts him the most. Despite Freddie's words, Jared couldn't just back away from him. He was thinking about Freddie. Freddie fancies some Alpha from their circle of friends, but which one. Maybe it is Frankie. Maybe he likes Jim. Yes, that would be understandable. Jim was a beautiful Alpha. If Jared had been in Jim's place and was lying next to Freddie on the beach as Jim did, he didn't know how he would be able to control himself. It was impossible not to want Freddie's perfect body. He closed his eyes. He wanted to hold Freddie close to him. To kiss his eyes, lips, chest… What could he do to own his body? The day of his return to Scotland was approaching. He had to be quick.

________

Roger and Freddie were getting ready for a dance party. Freddie wore his harlequin leggings and flat sneakers. He wanted to be able to dance all night and not to think about the pain in his feet, which would have been inevitable if he had decided to wear high platform shoes. He wore a plain white satin blouse with short sleeves. Roger put on the first thing he could get his hands on because they were about to leave. He said that in the darkness of the hall, no one would notice whether he had spent five minutes or five hours in front of the mirror.

The hall where the party was organized was located on the ground floor of their hotel. The hall was not very big and it gave off an intimate atmosphere. Huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling with dim white lights. In one corner of the room was a small semicircular stage with musicians playing guitars and drums. Their playing resounded too loudly over two speakers in the corners. The Omega singer sang Mediterranean music that made them all nostalgic. A large bar offered a variety of exotic cocktails and liqueurs of sweet, fruity flavors, and of course the inevitable beer and wine. Only three or four tables were lined up against the hall wall and the rest of the space remained open for dancing.

Friends gathered around the bar to order drinks. Goldie noticed that Brian had come and waved her hand for him to be able to see them through the crowd.

"I managed to put Jimmy to sleep. But I can't stay long," Brian said as he sat down on a barstool.

"That's okay. You have the right to have fun sometimes. You deserve it," Roger replied.

"And I intend to have fun. What are we going to drink?"

"I'll have cherry liqueur," Goldie said.

"I'll take the same as her," Roger said.

"What are you going to drink, Freddie?" Jared asked.

"Nothing, thanks. I don't drink alcohol."

"Jesus, Freddie! You're such a baby. What's going to happen to you if you take one shot of tequila? Where did you grow up? In a nunnery? I bet you're still a virgin," Jared said, glaring at Freddie.

"That's none of your business, you twat!" Roger jumped in to defend his brother. "If he doesn't like to drink then he's not going to drink. It's his choice and his choice only. And it's absolutely none of your business if Freddie fucks with someone, or not!."

"Wow, you're both so sensitive. You don't even know how to accept a joke on your account," Jared said.

"Jared, don't be a jerk. We all came here to have fun. Why do you have to ruin our night?" Brian said.

"If I am the one who's ruining your night, then I'll be over there so you can have a good time." Jared took his drink and went to a group of people and began to talk with them.

Some couples danced sensually to the music. Others danced in groups. The third ones were already drunk and were loudly singing. Roger took Brian's hand and dragged him away from the bar.

"Can we please dance to this song? That's my favorite!" Roger asked Brian, trying to be louder than the music from the speakers.

"Okay, but I'm not a good dancer," Brian replied.

"Don't worry, it's just for fun!"

Roger hugged Brian and put his head on Brian's chest. They swayed slowly, enjoying moments of tenderness. All of this came to them, somehow, naturally. They felt like they had known each other since forever. Roger felt at peace in Brian's embrace.

The dance steps took them to a darker corner of the small hall. Brian hugged Roger with both hands and his lips met Roger's. Roger wasn't surprised at all. He immediately returned the kiss, smiling against Brian's lips. Brian raised one hand and placed it on Roger's nape, deepening the kiss even more. Brian was very tall, and Roger had to stand on the tip of his toes. Roger began to lose his breath. He thought he must be dreaming. He fantasized about this moment for so long. From the first day, he met Brian. He would never have had the courage to initiate this kiss. Thanks to the alcohol, he was a little more relaxed, and the atmosphere around him was just right. He felt how he was melting in Brian's arms. Overwhelming happiness bolted through his whole being. Brian began to shower Roger's beautiful face with kisses. Roger closed his eyes and surrendered to him. He hugged Brian around the neck and slithered his body in Brian's embrace to the beat of the music. Brian squeezed him closer to him and pulled him into another passionate kiss.

Freddie felt ashamed when he saw that Roger and Brian were kissing. He thought it was something intimate and that he shouldn't be looking at them. He turned his gaze to Frankie and Goldie who were laughing loudly from how much alcohol they drank already. Jim was a beast on the dance floor. He was all sweaty as he moved and bent all over the dance floor. Eventually, he took off his shirt. All he had left was a bow tie around his bare neck. Freddie felt agonizingly lonely in a room full of people. He shouldn't have come here. Jared approached him, noticing that he was alone. Great. Just what he needed.

"See that over there?" Jared asked Freddie, pointing in the direction of Roger and Brian who were still kissing like they are alone in a room. "You'll never have that. You have a killing body, but honey… you also have a head of a donkey." Jared deliberately said this to hurt Freddie for rejecting him earlier today. "Isn't your brother a dentist? He should have fixed your teeth first before he got a job in the office."

Freddie felt as if he had returned to his school days when children relentlessly ridiculed him for his protruding teeth. His confidence went ten feet under the ground. Jared's words hurt him. Because what he said was true. He was aware of his physical appearance. Jared only confirmed what Freddie has always seen in the mirror.

"You like someone from here. I can't tell if it's Frankie or Jim." Freddie looked at Jim, who was now resting leaned against the wall, slowly sipping his sparkling drink. "Either way, good luck with them even noticing you. But I'm here. I'm noticing you. You should be happy. But since you don't want to accept what's being offered to you, then stay alone." Jared said, shrugging his shoulders. He hit Freddie where it hurts him the most. That made him satisfied.

Jared was right. Jim hadn't looked at Freddie all evening. He did not exist for Jim. He thought up all of it in his head. Unspeakable sadness pierced his heart like a dagger, making the pain in his chest return. A lump formed in his throat and tears dwelled on the edges of his eyes.

" _ Why did I come here? I should have stayed in the room _ ," Freddie thought to himself. 

Freddie left his glass on the bar, got up from his chair, and stepped out into the cold night air. The wind was blowing relentlessly from the direction of the sea. Music from the hotel was so loud, it could be heard outside. Freddie sat down on the sidewalk. He bent his legs and rested his chin on his knees. He put his arms around his legs. Someone touched his shoulder.

"Why are you here alone?" That was Jim. "I saw you exit the hall and I went to look out for you." Jim sat on the sidewalk next to Freddie. He slung his shirt over his back but left it unbuttoned.

"Have you seen me tonight at all?" Freddie asked ironically.

"Of course I saw you. You look very pretty tonight. I deliberately didn't want to approach you. You'd think I am boring."

"Why would I think that?"

"Because I am. I am boring. I don't have an exciting life or an impressive career. Everything about me is so simple and plain. Maybe I will change someday. Maybe I'll found a reason to change."

Freddie remained silent.

"Why did you leave?"

"I wanted to breathe some air."

"Just that? I thought someone was waiting for you outside."

"Someone? Waiting for me? I don't think anyone would want to wait for me. I like to be alone."

"What do you think about when you're alone?"

"About everything. About this place. About the people who live here."

"Do you like it here?"

"I like it. I wish I have a house like one of these, one day. It doesn't have to be big. It'd be surrounded by cypress trees, cherry trees... It would have a big garden. I want to have a lot of flowers around the house. And a fish pond."

"Who would plant flowers in your garden?"

"I would plant it myself. I can do it."

"But your hands are so small and tender," Jim said and took one of Freddie's hands in his. He was looking at it as if comparing the size difference between their hands. Freddie felt a great nervousness run through his body. He was shivering. Jim's hands were so warm and the night was so cold. "But I remember how hard you pulled me by the arm that night on the ship. Would you be sorry if something happened to me then? After all, why would you feel sorry for some ordinary, unknown man? Is that right?"

"That's not true!" Freddie replied.

"Why are you shivering? Are you cold? You're poorly dressed."

"I'm not cold," Freddie replied and tried to pull his hand out of Jim's. Jim gripped Freddie's little hand tightly with his warm Alpha hand and refused to let him go. He raised Freddie's hand and brought it to his lips. His soft lips slid down Freddie's hand. He kissed each of his fingers individually, then moved to his wrist and up his arm. Freddie thought the ground beneath him was spinning. Strong dizziness blurred his vision. This is not happening. No, no, no. This can't be real. He saw Jim leaning towards him and he instantly panicked. He snatched his hand from Jim's and jumped to his feet, hurrying through the alley of flowers. Jim watched Freddie leave, as he still sat on the sidewalk. He saw Freddie run to the hotel. A deep wrinkle appeared on Jim's forehead. He sat still for a while and gloomily watched the dance of green leaves in the wind.

Jared spied on them hidden behind a hedge.

"What a wretch! I was right then. You do like one of them," Jared cursed to himself, becoming more and more determined to hurt Freddie. He walked past Jim and their eyes met.

Freddie knocked on the door of their room but no one opened it. He unlocked the room and entered. Winifred was not there. He didn't turn on the light. He sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands. The door opened with a loud bang. Roger returned from the party visibly intoxicated with alcohol. His face was red from kisses. His cheeks had bite marks on them. He talked loudly and was cheerful. Suddenly he stopped and looked Freddie in the eye.

"Freddie, where have you been? Why did you leave the party without telling me?" Roger asked him.

"I have gone for a walk. It was too stuffy inside. Then I met Jim and we talked."

"You know what, Frankie says he has a colleague from Ireland. He'll call him these days to ask him to check who Jim is, where he works and with whom he lives."

"Are we spying on him now?"

"We're not spying on him, silly!"

"Then why do I care where he lives and what he does. We won't see him again once the summer is over anyway."

Freddie tried to sound calmly and indifferently. He didn't want to ask Roger anything about what was going on between him and Brian. If he wanted to, Roger would tell him all by himself. Freddie went to bed and crawled under the covers. Roger stayed awake waiting for Winifred to return. Freddie thought his temperature was rising and he feared that his fever might return. He pressed the fingertips of his fingers to his lips. He could almost feel Jim's lips on his. That's how close he was to him tonight. He was so stupid to step back at the last minute. Now, there was nothing he could do to turn back time.

From the hotel hall, music was still blasting. The soothing sound of a ukulele was breaking the silence of the night. Freddie loved music. If he could choose a career path all over again, he would become a singer. A passerby, probably intoxicated by the sweet taste of wine, sang in front of the hotel to a tune coming from the hall. Freddie thought he knew this song. He had already heard it somewhere, but he couldn't remember where.

_ If you forget me, darling, _

_ I will die of grief for you _

A stranger sang, with pain in his voice. Freddie felt every word deep in his heart, though Freddie's heart still hadn't felt Alphas' love. Freddie listened and softly sang those few words of the song he memorized from before.


	7. The Secret of Freddie's Birth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winifred keeps a family secret for which she plans to remain just that. Jim is making his way, slowly but surely, into Freddie's heart. Jared is fuming with jealousy and sends an anonymous letter to Jim that backfires on him.

Winifred stood in the phone booth and talked to her cousin Faith. The sun penetrating through the window of the phone booth was the only witness to what Winifred was about to say.

"Tell me, Winifred. I know you have told me already, but I forgot about it after all these years. Freddie isn't your child?" Faith asked.

"No. Nobody knows that. Only a few of my closest relatives. We found him at our doorstep when he was just a baby. Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday."

"Tell me, please, one more time, how it was all happening. I forgot everything."

"You know, Roger was almost five at the time. I wanted to have more children, but there was no way I could get pregnant. Michael, Roger, and I were a happy family. I married out of love. Michael was nice to me. We were just about to move to London because he got a new job there as an accountant. We packed our suitcases, and the next day we had to catch a train. One evening, two or three days before departure, Michael and I were returning home. We were out, having dinner at a restaurant. It was about eleven o'clock in the evening. Roger was sleeping upstairs and he didn't hear us when we returned home. When I approached our front door, I saw a bundle of cloth. I bent down to see what it was when something screamed from it. Michael wondered what it was and bent down to reach for it. We were amazed to see that it was a child. We ran into the house, turned on the light, and started unwrapping the bundle. Even now, whenever I remember that, I could cry. When we unwrapped the linen diapers, we saw a beautiful male child, who was about two months old at the time. I started crying when I saw how small he was. He was so tiny like a small pet and equally cute. What kind of mother had the heart to reject him? When he started crying, I quickly warmed up the bottle of milk and fed him, and he started to giggle happily. I told Michael that we should keep the child because we might not have our biological children anymore. He agreed to it. Believe me, Faith, from that day I felt huge love for that child as if I had given birth to him myself. When I undressed him to change his clothes, I found a hidden medallion. It was a gold medallion in the shape of a crescent moon, with rubies on the edge. A very precious thing. The jeweler told us in the jewelry store that it is unique and that there are only maybe two more such medallions in the whole world. When I opened the medallion, I found a folded piece of paper in it written in English:  _ With this ruby medallion, he will find his mother and father _ ."

"Did you find out anything about his parents?"

"Nothing! We didn't even try to find out. I fell in love with Freddie right away. I didn't want anyone to take him away from me. And there was something else in that medallion. Some shapes or some letters were engraved inside, but we could never read it because we didn't know that language and those letters."

"Did you save that piece of paper?"

"I did it, but then I lost it when we were moving. I saved the medallion. I told Freddie he got it as a gift when he was a baby. He wears it sometimes. People often notice that he and Roger don't look alike, but I just brush it off, so it's not suspicious. When we moved to London I told everyone that Freddie was my son. That's how we hid the secret of his birth. We explained everything to Roger when he was a child. He never said a word about it to Freddie. Freddie still knows nothing about it."

"Do Roger and Freddie love each other?"

"They love each other like real brothers. It's not nice of me to say this, but I love Freddie more than Roger. That child never offended me. He was always good, obedient, cuddly, and a good student. I never had a problem with him. Roger is naughty, temperamental, like to have fun, and gets into trouble. Freddie is quiet and shy, not like today's Omegas. Michael loves Roger more because they are similar in character. Roger causes me a lot of concern. He likes to flirt with everyone. When Alphas see him, so young and beautiful, they immediately want to have fun. If only he would get married so I don't think about it anymore. "

"Let him have fun. He's young, he wants to live."

"Everybody tells me that, and I just think I gave them both too much freedom for Omegas. But one day, I will have to let them go. I think I raised them nicely. I put a lot of effort into them, but I don't regret it. I taught them to do house chores, and at the same time, they are very hardworking. Freddie is still studying, but he also works at the same time. We all live and love each other very much. The only thing I am worried about is Michael. He has a weak heart. I'm always afraid that something will happen to him while I'm not home."

_______

"Freddie!" Jimmy called for him as they were on the beach. "Let me show you something!" he said, pulling Freddie by the arm, and he followed behind.

Brian walked over to Roger and asked, "Rog, do you want to swim with me? I heard you're a great swimmer. Such a short Omega, but he swims so fast."

"Are you laughing at me because I'm short?"

"On the contrary, I like my Omegas short and sweet just like you are," Brian smiled and looked at Roger. His teeth gleaming beneath his rosy lips. Roger looked at him warmly with his mischievous eyes.

"Okay then, we'll swim soon. I'll be faster than you, just so you know. So what if you're Alpha? I'll beat you."

"And I'll catch you," Brian said, looking at Roger passionately. "You won't run away from me." He lay next to Roger on a towel, leaning on his elbow. "You're selfish, Roger."

"What do you mean?"

"How selfish you are! You know you're beautiful, and you like it when I sigh after you. You seem to enjoy tormenting me. Your torments are terrible!"

Roger just smiled wickedly and stretched his arms high above his head. Brian made irregular shapes on Roger's stomach with his fingertips. "Roger," Brian whispered, "I so want to cuddle you."

"Is there anything else you'd like you to do with me?" Roger asked and Brian just nodded. "What would you like?" Roger asked again, biting his lower lip.

"To kiss you. When I'm next to you, I'd do a lot of stupid things."

"Such as?"

"Like this one, for example," Brian said and lifted Roger with ease, and began to run toward the sea. Roger laughed, wrapping his arms around Brian's neck. With a loud splash, Brian threw Roger into the water and then threw himself over him and squeezed him into a hug.

Jim spotted someone's black curls and headed towards them. Freddie was making a sand tower with Jimmy. Together, they shoveled sand into a bucket and spilled it on one pile. Someone's shadow leaned over Freddie. He looked up and saw Jim standing above him. From that perspective, he seemed as tall as a cypress tree. Without saying anything, Jim sits in the sand next to them. He was silent and looked at Freddie, knowing full well that it would make him confused. And when Freddie is confused, he would blush. Jim found that irresistibly cute. The silence between them could be cut with a knife.

"Why did you run away from me last night?" Jim dared to ask and broke the silence.

"I ran away… because ... I don't know why I ran away," Freddie said, vigorously overturning a bucket full of sand without even looking at Jim.

Jim shrugged and lied on the sand saying nothing. He closed his eyes and let the sun burn his face.

"Why don't you play with us?" Jimmy asked Jim and he immediately sat up and buried his fingers in the gooey wet sand. Freddie still wasn't looking at him. He was shoveling the sand with his hands and putting it in Jimmy's bucket. Jim reached out and grabbed his fingers through the sand. Freddie pulls them out from Jim's grip, and immediately swears to himself, " _ Damn it, Freddie, you're doing it again. It's Jim. You can trust him. What if he hurts you too? Maybe he's seeing someone else, and I'm just his side option. No, shut up _ ." Freddie's long lashes cast a flickering shadow on his cheeks. Silence returned between them.

Jared spotted them from a distance but did not approach them. He watched the sea with small waves. Several dismembered, woolly clouds formed different figures in the sky. Despite all the beauty of nature that surrounded him, malice was boiling in Jared's eyes. He carried Freddie's picture with him wherever he went. The scene before his eyes made the blood in his veins boil with jealousy.

"While I'm here, you won't be with another Alpha!" Jared said to himself through gritted teeth. "You'll see, I'll drive that Irishman of yours away from you. I hate him so much!" Jared rushed to the house where he had a rented room, took a piece of paper, and started writing an anonymous letter.

"Let's see… Yes, Jim Hutton. That's right. That's his name. I'll just write the name of the hotel, someone will deliver this to his room." Jared, his jaw clenched, almost engraved the letters on the paper with the pencil. His eyes narrowed in anger, and his grip around the pen tightened.

He wrote it as if he's some Omega:

_ Dear Jim, _

_ You are a very elegant and nice young man. You are the type of Alpha someone can only wish for. But, it's a shame you found yourself in the company of that Omega from London. Because of him, rumors are circulating about you, since he has a bad reputation in his hometown. He likes to slut himself around. He has been with countless Alphas so far. Here, on the beach, everyone already knows how promiscuous he is. No one has anything positive to say about him. Did you know that he has one failed engagement behind him? Why do you think that is so? An Alpha like you should not be compromised in his company. _

Jared wrote his hideous, shameless, lies about Omega that he could not have. He deliberately curved his handwriting to the left so that it would never be known that he wrote this letter.

"Yeah! Let me just address it, so I can drop it in the mailbox tonight. He'll get it soon. Let me see, Mr. Hutton, will you continue to look at him as kindly as you look at him now. Jared has a lot more things to tell you."

Jared dropped his letter in the mailbox and returned to his room sitting by the desk. The words from the letter twirled before his eyes. That moment, he realized what he had done. He got overwhelmed by the feeling of humiliation, pain, and hysteria. It was as if someone had poured a full bucket of ice-cold water right on his head. He sobbed loudly, burying his face into his hands.

"I… I'm so miserable!" Jared cried. He realized that he was potentially destroying someone else's life, as well as his mental health, by being obsessed with a person with whom he got lucky to cross paths for a brief moment. He had to let him go. 

_________

The evening began to fall as five friends sat in a cafe. Someone noticed Brian walking anxiously across the promenade in a great hurry. He and Jimmy weren’t on the beach that afternoon, and Jimmy loved spending afternoons on the beach. They were his favorite. Roger ran after Brian to ask him if everything was okay.

"Jimmy got sick," Jimmy's father said anxiously. "He got a fever. I guess he caught a cold. I called the doctor and now I'm going to buy medicine for him."

"Who's staying with Jimmy?"

"One receptionist stayed with him. Just for five minutes until I go to the pharmacy. He asked about you this morning if you would come."

"Oh, my poor sweetheart! We'll visit him. Can we visit Jimmy?" Roger asked.

"Oh, he will be the happiest."

"Then as soon as we finish our drinks, Freddie, Jim, and I will come. What's the number of your room?"

__________

The night was moonless. Palm trees swayed gently in the light of the street lamps. After dinner, Roger, Freddie, and Jim hurried up the stairs. They wanted to see Jimmy before he went to bed since it was already late at night. Their rooms were very close to each other without them even knowing it. They knocked on the door and Brian opened it.

"Here you go! He's waiting for you. He's so happy. When he heard you were coming, he immediately got up in his bed. He likes to have a great company around him."

"Hello, love!" Freddie told him as he approached the bed where Jimmy was lying. "What happened to you? You're not sick, you're just spoiled. Rogie and I brought you chocolate." Jimmy's eyes gleamed with happiness.

Roger sat by his bed and stared at his face that was red from high temperature. He took Jimmy's chubby hands in his.

"You have a mild fever. You'll be well by tomorrow, Jimmy. You have a lot of toys here. Here's your crocodile. Will you feel better if I give you one of these toys?"

“Let Freddie have my crocodile,” Jimmy said.

"Last time you didn't want to give it to me. Do you want to give it to me now?" Freddie asked and Jimmy just nodded in approval.

"Now he considers you a good friend and he loves you, so he would give you everything he has. He learned all the stories you told him by heart. He has to tell me one story every morning otherwise he refuses to leave the room until he tells them to me," Brian said.

"Wait, let me fluff up your pillow. Like that... It's better now!" Freddie said, looking gently at Jimmy and kissing his cheek. "If you get well by tomorrow, I promise I'll buy you vanilla and chocolate ice cream." Freddie took a cup of warm milk from the bedside table and helped Jimmy drink it. "Good job! You drank the full glass! Now you'll sure get well right away. Is that right?" He continued to coo at the child.

Jim watched this scene. His beautiful, big brown eyes had some gentle glow. Seeing Freddie interacting with the child, made him want to have a child with him. He didn't know where that sudden desire came from. And why with Freddie? Probably because he saw how Freddie would be a gentle and caring parent. He was good with children even though he was so young. It kind of came naturally for Omegas. He would agree to have one child, who will look like Freddie. Jim laughed softly at the thought. He grew up in a large family and the thought of having his own small family one day brought him a familiar cozy feeling.

___________

The next day, Jim went swimming, but he didn't go right away. He walked through the park first and read a letter. He was frowning. He was beating his head around about who had a reason to slander Freddie. He hadn't known Freddie for too long, but as far as he could see, he hadn't noticed that there is anything wrong with him. Slutting himself around? Freddie barely managed to flirt with anyone without blushing, let alone sleeping around with random Alphas. These were nothing but lies. Someone wanted to denigrate him in Jim's eyes. It must have been some nasty creature when they had to say only the worst things about such a wonderful being like Freddie was. Someone is jealous of Freddie. Only blind jealousy could engrave letters on paper with a pencil this deep. He didn't notice when he reached the beach. Who could it be? There is only one person here who would be disturbed enough to do so. Jim thought of Jared. Jim knew that Jared liked Freddie, and Jared saw that Jim liked Freddie. Maybe he wanted to keep Jim away from Freddie so that the terrain would remain open for him to play. That thought seemed credible to him. Nasty creature! Alphas can be disgusting at times. Jim crumpled the letter and put it in his pocket. He clenched his fists angrily, knowing that somewhere here stood Alpha, who looked at Freddie as a piece of meat that he would chew and spit out of pure boredom. His protective instincts worked to the maximum.  _ Protect Freddie. Don't let him get hurt. Protect your Omega. _ Yes, he was Jim's Omega. Although not yet officially. They haven't even kissed yet. They didn't even hold hands. But Freddie was his Omega and he would be damned if he would let another Alpha sniff around him.

Jim strode toward the beach. He saw a painter hidden in the shade of an olive tree, with a painting canvas in front of it. Jim followed his gaze. He led straight to Freddie who was coming out of the water at that moment. His wet short dress clung to his slender body revealing what was hidden beneath. Freddie lied in the sun to dry. He simply shone in his youth. His slender legs were stretched out on a dry towel, and his tight dress was clinging desperately around his upper thighs and small waist. Jim and Jared must have been looking at the same scene. But their views differed. Jim’s warm family gaze and Jared’s lustful gaze full of passion and longing were constantly clashing. The question is - who will be the first to surrender and who will remain to stand as the winner. Jim had no more tolerance towards this Alpha. He had stopped to have any value in Jim's eyes a long time ago.

"What a creep!" Jim cursed under his breath. He stopped not to attract unwanted attention and not to be suspicious. He looked around, and slowly headed to the place where the painter was standing. He stopped behind his back and approached him slowly. Silent as a shadow. Then, with a quick move of his one hand, Jim nailed Jared against an olive tree. He put his hand under Jared's chin, pressing his upper arm against his neck.

"You're a coward," Jim said softly but menacing and threatening. "Don't ever fuck around with my Omega like that again. If I see you near him, I'll make you swallow your words. And then, I'll cut your head off." Jim growled sharply. Jared, like any coward, would whimper under Jim's strong grip. The sharp tree bark scratched his naked back. "Is that clear?" Jim asked one last time. Jared raised his arms to shoulder height in a sign of surrender. "I've wanted to do this for a long time," Jim said, taking his hand away from Jared's throat. He folded his hand into a fist and connected it to Jared's cheekbone. Then, he relaxed his fist and shook his hand off to relieve the pain. Jared quickly moved away from Jim, afraid that he would provoke him again. He was half-hidden behind a tree.

"I promise! I won't even look at him anymore, let alone be anywhere around him! Just don't hit me anymore, please! I understand, he's your Omega. I understand! I won't touch him. I promise!" Jared kept whining.

Jim nodded wordlessly. He didn't know how much the painter's words could be trusted, but for now, Freddie would have his moment of peace. Jim went to Freddie and said hello to him kissing his knuckles. He was making sure for Jared to see it. Jared frowned in envy, and leaving his painting canvas on the beach, he turned on his feet and stormed away.

Roger was coming out of the water. Jimmy ran to meet him.

"Rogie! Rogie! Look, I came! I'm not sick anymore," he said happily as he ran into Roger's arms, scattering sand with his little feet.

"You are all healed up? Oh, my sweetheart!" he said, lifting Jimmy into his arms. Brian approached them and kissed Roger innocently on the cheek.

"As soon as he came here, he asked where you were."

"My little Jimmy. He loves me because I love him too. Let's sit there." Roger put Jimmy to sit on his lap, and the child immediately pressed his curly head to Roger's chest. Brian looked at his son and his young Omega.

"Is that true, Jimmy, that you love Roger so much?" Brian asked his son.

"I love him very much. But I'm sad. He'll leave. He'll leave us and forget about us. Right, Rogie? Tell me you're not leaving? Please don't leave." Jimmy said looking Roger curiously in the face.

"I'll stay for a few more days. But then I'll have to go," Roger said, stroking Jimmy's hair.

"He's cute. He never loved anyone as he loves you. That's very strange. Yes, it's truly weird how much he loves you..." Saying these words, Brian looked at the young Omega. Roger stroked Brian's cheek and buried his face in the child's hair. He could only imagine how difficult it would be for them to say goodbye when the time for it comes.


	8. You Are The Light of My Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The secret of Freddie's medallion is slowly beginning to be revealed. Winifred is afraid that her well-hidden secret might not be the secret anymore. She decides to take matters into her own hands. Freddie's relationship with Jim has it's ups and downs, only to take a sudden turn during one stormy night.

It was a cloudy day. A thin layer of white clouds hid the sun. Freddie went to buy figs. He walked slowly. He enjoyed mild, and cloudy weather. The rain and clouds reminded him of his native London. He was in a good mood. Everything was beautiful to him - houses, balconies, magnolias, aloes, the sea. After buying some figs and a couple of oranges, Freddie decided to sit on a bench and watch the vast expanse of sea in front of him. 

Jim walked past hurriedly. His hands were buried deep in the pockets of his raincoat. He hurried to return to the room before the rain. He had to stop when he saw a familiar face. His ray of sunshine in cloudy weather. He stared at Freddie's side profile. He looked dreamy and deep in thoughts like Freddie usually was.  He walked over to Freddie and sat down next to him. Freddie greeted him cheerfully, and it brought a huge smile on Jim's face.

“You said ' _I am going to wear all the colors of the rainbow t_ _oday_ ’,” Jim said. "Look, there is yellow, blue, green… What's that red thing around your neck? What kind of medallion is that?"

"It's a crescent moon with rubies," Freddie replied. He took his medallion, which hung on a chain, and lifted it from his chest.

Jim frowned. He was very surprised.

"A crescent moon with rubies? Very strange! My father has the same medallion. Can you take it off your neck, so I can see it, please?"

Freddie unclasped his piece of jewelry and dropped it into the palm of Jim's hand.

"Yes, my father has the same crescent moon. It's a dear memory from his youth. Where did you get this necklace?"

"I got it when I was a baby."

Jim opened the medallion. He stared into it, realizing that the same words were written here as well.

"We don't understand that language, so we could never read those words," Freddie said.

"The same letters are in my father's medallion. It's written in Gujarati."

"What does it say?"

"It is written:  _ You are the light of my life _ ."

"Strange words! How interesting it is that I have the same medallion as your father. I'm going to tell my mom that you read it for me.  _ You are the light of my life _ . It sounds so poetic. Funny how life is!"

__________

"Mom, you're not going to believe it!" Freddie said as he entered the room. "Jim read me those words in the medallion. It's written in Gujarati. Do you know what it says? _You are the light of my life_... His father has the same medallion. The same crescent moon with rubies."

Winifred was sewing a button on her dress. She dropped the dress on her lap and stared at her son. 

"Mom, why did you make that face?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what you have just said. That's weird. His father has the same medallion, you say? It's a coincidence."

"But it's a very interesting coincidence. Who gave me this medallion?"

"One of your godmothers."

"It's very beautiful," Freddie said, looking at the medallion between his fingers. He couldn't miss his mother's sharp gaze. "Why are you so moody today?"

"Ah, you know how this weather affects me. We have enough rain in London. Why does it have to rain while we're here? I thought the weather would be nicer," she lied. Her brain worked so hard. She was very upset, although it wasn't noticeable from the outside. She was trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

" _Jim's father has the same crescent moon. Where does he get it from? Could he be Freddie's real father? What if it's possible. That piece of paper said 'With this medallion, he'll find his father and mother.' Maybe that's why Jim is always somewhere near Freddie. He feels a brotherly connection with him. No. Roger said Jim likes Freddie. And Freddie likes Jim... What if they're brothers. That would be horrible! No, they're not brothers. They don't look like each other at all._ _His father may have had an affair with an Omega. Omega ended up being pregnant. Where could that happen? Freddie had been left in London. Jim's father is Irish. Where and how could this have happened? I need to talk to Jim as soon as possible. I have to question him about his father - what he's doing for a living and where he had lived before. I can't let Freddie and Jim hang out together. How did Jim's father get that medallion?”_ Winifred was desperate.

________

Roger climbed the hotel stairs. He wanted to write a letter to the couple to his friends and his dad. He heard quick footsteps behind him. He saw Brian hurried after him, climbing two steps at the same time. Roger looked at Brian mischievously and smiled at him. He quickened his pace, teasing his boyfriend. He entered his room and sat down at a table to write letters. He was alone in the room and the silence helped him to concentrate on writing. Just as he pulled the paper out of one of the drawers, the door swung open and Brian showed up in the room.

Roger stood up, and Brian wrapped his long arms around his shoulders. Roger pulled him down to kiss him. Brian picked him up with ease and set him down to sit atop of the table. Roger's legs were wrapped around Brian's waist. All the papers from the table fell to the floor. The table swayed under their weight. Roger laid on his back and let Brian take off his pants. Brian kissed him on the neck, cheeks, and chest, inhaling his scent. They both could hardly wait for this moment. Roger lifted his legs around Brian's neck. Brian wet his fingers profusely with his saliva. They were going slowly, enjoying every moment and every part of each other's bodies. Brian's fingers were long and slim. They disappeared in Roger's hole with ease. Roger was completely relaxed under Brian's touch. He was melting under his thin body. Brian pushed one finger inside, then two, and finally three fingers. He left the series of kisses on Roger's upper body. The stretch felt amazing and Roger started to moan in Brian's ear, making him harder. He was eager to feel Brian inside of him. Brian took his dick out of his pants. Roger was breathless after seeing its length. 

"I think you're ready, love," Brian whispered. He wanted to be sure that Roger is well prepared and that he's not going to feel any pain.

"I am more than ready," Roger replied, panting from anticipation.

Brian slowly pushed his way in. Roger closed his eyes, and his head immediately fell back. Brian was burying himself deeper with each thrust. Only after he was convinced that Roger felt comfortable, Brian accelerated his rhythm. His Omega gasped from pleasure. Roger's cock was lying hard against his stomach. Brian reached towards it with his hand. He started stroking it. He was twisting his hand around its tip. Roger was crying tears of pleasure. He clasped his hand over his mouth to silence himself. He could feel Brian's dick growing, pulsing and twitching inside of him. He felt like he's going to explode. He was so close. As well as Brian. He was gripping Roger's hips a little too hard. Brian was rocking his hips in a fast tempo. He pushed Roger's knees towards his chest, planting himself inside of him even deeper. Roger's whole body tensed up as he came. He spilled his juices on his lover's hand. Brian came in Roger, filling him up with thick spurs of semen. He stopped thrusting completely once he was done. He put his head on Roger's shoulder, breathing heavily. Roger was equally breathless. His cheeks were flushed due to post-orgasmic shocks.

________

Winifred and Freddie were taking a walk outside, while Roger was enjoying himself in Brian's love embrace in their hotel room. Winifred had a special intention. She wanted to meet Jim and ask him about his family... This secret tormented her heart. 

She noticed that Freddie began to have deeper feelings for Jim. Freddie would be so happy and excited if someone would mention Jim's name. Or if he would see him somewhere, even for a second. He liked the way Jim protected him, the way he looked at him. He liked the way Jim was approaching him slowly. Imperceptibly taking up more and more space in his heart. That day, for the first time, Freddie wanted to throw himself into Jim's arms. To hug him around the neck. Freddie saw Jim walking on the promenade. He wanted to shout his name and run towards him.

But Jim wasn't alone. He was accompanied by an older Omega who often touched his hand and ran his fingers through his brown hair. Freddie has never seen this Omega before. Jim put his hand over Omega's shoulder. They were chatting and laughing and were looking at each other's eyes. This Omega must be Jim's boyfriend. So, Freddie was a side option after all. Of course, why would anyone like him? That thought drove him crazy. He remembered Jared's words from the dance party. It made him feel even worse about himself. He felt sorry for himself. Omega stroked Jim's cheek and smiled.

No, Freddie won't watch this. He will escape somewhere. He always just run away from Jim anyway. Of course, Jim got tired of chasing after him. Freddie will go somewhere far, far away. He took advantage of Winifred's moment of inattention, turned, and left.

He walked in such a manner that he was not aware of the space and the people around him. He felt like he was going through a fog. He started to walk faster. It hurt him a lot to see Jim with another Omega. He wanted so badly to love someone. He wanted someone to love him back. He was such a fool for hoping that something like this could ever happen to him. Was he jealous of Jim? Why? He has no right to be jealous of him. Jim is not his Alpha. Jim has his freedom. He can be with whomever he wants. 

"Freddie! Can't you hear me when I call you? Freddie?" Jim was just behind him, calling his name. Freddie was momentarily dragged back into reality. 

"Freddie?" Jim approached him cautiously. Freddie was silent and was looking at Jim as if judging him. "I saw you passing by, and I wanted to introduce you to someone. I called you but you just kept walking. Are you okay? Would you like to go and grab some coffee together? Today's day is like made for that."

"I don't want to go. Go by yourself."

"Alright, then. Do you want to go for a walk?"

"No, I don't!" Freddie said, frowning.

"Why are you acting like that? You were in such a good mood when I met you this morning. You look like some stubborn kid when you frown like that." His voice was so soft. There was cheerfulness in Jim's voice. That cheerfulness irritated Freddie because everything inside of him was sad. Jim's smile annoyed him. It's like Jim is glad to see him crying. He was a real selfish Alpha, who wanted all the Omegas to run after him. And all the Omegas to cry because of him. Just so he can smile at their pain.

"Please, go away!" Freddie stepped away from Jim. Jim had no intention of going. He wanted to comfort Freddie.

"Are you mad at me?" Jim asked.

Freddie remained silent. Jim noticed that his eyes were watery and that his long black lashes were wet with tears. There were traces of tears on his face.

"Did you cry?" Jim kept asking questions. He looked into Freddie's big eyes, and it made him sad. "Why did you cry? Come on, tell me. Yes, you did cry. Look yourself in the mirror!" Jim took Freddie's hand. He put him to stand in front of the shop window. He stood behind Freddie. Freddie could see his teary eyes, and his hair all ruffled up. He saw Jim standing behind him. He was tall, with broad shoulders and perfect brown hair. Jim was so close to him. He held Freddie by the upper arms. He leaned Freddie's back against his chest. Freddie's hair tickled his face. Jim's hands were so big. Freddie felt weak under his touch. He was overwhelmed again by the same longing from not a while ago. Suddenly, Freddie looked at Jim, and he remembered Omega who was caressing his hair.

Freddie was too proud to tell Jim that he was crying because of him. So he decided to lie to him.

"Yes, I cried!" Freddie finally spoke in a dry voice, pulling himself out of Jim's arms.

"Why?" Jim asked again. He still had that damn smile on his face. Freddie decided to keep lying.

"I cried ... because of my fiancé ... from London… He hasn't sent me any letters yet…" Freddie replied defiantly, looking Jim in the eyes.

All the joy on Jim's face suddenly disappeared. His eyes stiffened and darkened. It would have been easier for him if Freddie had punched him in the face. He stared at him in disbelief for a few moments, as if expecting Freddie to tell him that this was just a bad joke. Freddie remained silent.

"You have a fiancé in London?"

"Yes," Freddie said with a little uncertainty. He was never good at lying.

"Do you love him?"

Freddie was silent.

Jim slipped his hands into the pockets of his raincoat and remained motionless in front of Freddie. His warm eyes now looked indifferently into Freddie's. He headed back toward the promenade. He paused there for a moment, still expecting Freddie to tell him something. Anything. Freddie was still silent, standing motionlessly.

"Sorry I bothered you," Jim said politely with a stiff expression on his face. Jim was upset after hearing what Freddie had told him. His feelings for Freddie were deep. For the sake of his sanity, Jim turned around and left. He disappeared from Freddie's sight quickly. 

Freddie looked as if he was still unaware of his actions. No words, no movements. Nothing. He took a deep breath and something snapped inside of him. Something told him he had made a big mistake. He shouldn't have said any of that. He wanted to run after Jim, to apologize to him, to tell him that he made it all up because of his stupid jealousy. But Jim wasn't there.

He must have headed towards the shore. Freddie has to find him. He has to tell him that everything was a lie. He scolded himself: "I shouldn't have said that. I was wrong. Why did I do that? I should have thought before saying anything. Now he's sure going to hate me. I'll tell him I was jealous of that Omega."

Freddie ran towards the shore. He had to find Jim. He looked for his warm eyes. His gaze would caress him gently. How Jim pressed him against his chest! He could still feel Jim's warmth around his body. Freddie grabbed his upper arms. Yes, he could still feel Jim's touch there. He could feel Jim's breath on his face. He ran along the shore, but Jim was nowhere to be seen. It's as if he disappeared. Freddie's eyes wandered over the sea which was black from the rain clouds above it. He stood alone. No one was onshore. No one even passed by him. Damn words! He should keep his mouth shut like Omegas are supposed to do. He might have just made the biggest mistake of his life.

It was evening. A sea storm was rising. The turbulent sea reminded Freddie of his feelings and the storms he was going through. Freddie watched the fishing boats sway on the waves. He wanted to paddle. Just a few moves with oars will be enough for him to get tired and get rid of all the negative feelings and sadness he held inside of himself for so long. 

Freddie quickly got into the boat and took the oars. He enjoyed the feeling of being rocked by the waves. His hands rhythmically moved the oars which plunged into the turbulent water. The wind started to blow violently. His boat took off through one big wave. The boat spun like a merry-go-round. Freddie's hands were not strong enough to turn the boat to the other side, even though he was trying his best. Another wave crashed against the side of the boat, and it rose like a walnut shell on the wave. The boat rushed through the water, moving even farther away from the shore. Freddie held his oars with all his might. His hands were tired. Furious waves began to swirl around him, threatening to throw him into deep depths of the sea. Freddie looked desperately towards the shore, hoping he might see someone who could help him. The shore was still eerily empty, not a single soul could be seen. One huge wave rushed towards Freddie. His boat is going to sink. The little boat jumped from one wave to another. They were hitting him from all sides, like sea monsters.

Someone's call for help came from the shore. The little boy, no older than fourteen years old, shouted with his arms raised above his head. People gathered around the boy, but no one dared to enter the raging sea and take Freddie ashore. People looked as small as dots from Freddie's perspective. Freddie's clothes were soaked. Even his shoes were wet. His boat was filling with water more and more. He tasted the salty seawater in his mouth. His hair was soaking wet and was clinging to his face. It was blocking his view, throwing him into darkness. This will surely be his end.

He heard someone's voice yelling something. Freddie removed the wet hair away from his eyes. He saw another boat struggling with the waves. He saw the silhouette in the boat, but he could not recognize who was in it. Someone's strong hands were overpowering the waves, and the boat was approaching him more and more with each passing minute. Freddie was running out of physical strength.

The black silhouette in the boat was getting closer. Freddie recognized the brown halo of hair around the regular face. And the large brown eyes that warmed him on this cold night. That must be Jim! Jim will not let Freddie drown. Jim paddled like crazy. His eyes were even bigger, trying to see better in the dark. Despite the great efforts, Jim could not bring his boat closer to Freddie's. Jim waited for one big wave to pass by. It left behind a quiet piece of the sea surface. Jim used this opportunity to swing the oars once more. When his boat rose again on a new surge of waves, Jim, guided by his instincts to save Freddie, jumped into Freddie's boat with one acrobatic jump.

The boat rocked, and Freddie screamed. Jim reached for his oars without saying anything. He was breathing hard as he continued to cut the waves with his oars. He headed for a cove where they will be safe. They needed to take shelter until the storm subsides.

Jim's fight with the waves lasted for another half an hour. He has successfully approached a cove. A huge wave pushed the boat and it stranded on the shore. Alpha jumped out, grabbed the beak of the boat, and with superhuman strength pulled it ashore. He took Freddie in his arms and carried him ashore. He gently lowered him to the ground.

The boat was still bouncing on the waves like a ball. Alpha landed limply on the grass, saying nothing. He didn't say a word the whole time. He was exhausted. After Jim had rested and calmed down a bit, he looked at Freddie.

"Why did you do this?" he asked. "Wasn't this unreasonable thing to do?"

"I didn't think this was going to happen to me. I just wanted to row along the shore. Suddenly, a strong wind started to blow. It threw me further away from the shore. I couldn't go back. How did you get here?"

"I decided to take a walk along the shore. I minded my own business when I heard a boy shouting ' _Freddie is in the boat, he's going to drown!_ ' I jumped into a boat and followed you."

"How are we going to get back? My mom's going to go crazy! She'll think I've drowned!"

"We will return when the sea calms down. There is no way we can return now."

"Will it last long for the sea to calm?"

"I don't know. The sea is as equally capricious and unpredictable as some Omegas are."

"Is that on my account? I was so scared."

"I was scared for you too. Such an unreasonable thing to do! You must have done it because your fiancé from London hasn't sent you a letter yet, so you were desperate."

"I don't have a fiancé!" Freddie exclaimed vigorously.

“You were crying because of your fiancé,” Jim said ironically. His eyes had a tragic expression.

"No, I don't have a fiancé! I swear! I admit it wasn't nice of me to say that. I felt sorry right away. I ran after you. I was looking for you on the shore to tell you that it wasn't true, but you weren't there."

"Then, why did you say something like that?"

"I was jealous of you. I saw you with an Omega, and I thought it was your boyfriend. You seemed very close together. I thought you were on a date with him. He stroked your hair and cheeks. It made me angry. Suspicion grew in me. I felt insecure. "

"Is that all? If you asked me who that Omega was, I'd tell you I don't even know him. But you wouldn't believe me. That Omega stopped me on the promenade because I resembled someone close to him. We talked for a while, and we became friends. I wanted to introduce you to him. I thought you would make good friends. Why didn't you tell me what was bothering you? I was so happy when I saw you this morning. And I ended up feeling devastated.  I wanted to travel back home, but I couldn't. I went for a walk. I went to the place near the dungeons where we first met." Jim spoke softly as if talking to himself.

"We did not meet near the dungeons but on the ship."

"No, I've seen you before. I was standing on the deck, and I saw you hurrying your mom. You were afraid you were going to be late aboard. I saw your curly hair. Your big eyes. And your cute funky teeth. I found your smile adorable. When I saw you on the ship, you looked silent. Your gaze was often set to the ground. When you went to the cabin, I leaned against the fence. I was thinking about you - who are you, where are you traveling… Can you believe how surprised I was when you pulled me by the arm? I could hardly wait for the morning to see you again. I wanted to meet you, but I couldn't seize the opportunity. To be honest, I was afraid that you would find me ridiculous. We met on the ship, yes, but we officially met not far from the dungeons."

Freddie listened to Jim's words. By far, no one has said to him anything similar to this. His heart was pounding because he didn't know what to say. Despite the roar of the waves, Freddie felt calm. Jim's voice was quiet and soft. He spoke quickly because he wanted to tell Freddie everything that was on his heart. He didn't want any of his feelings to remain secret. Freddie had no idea Jim had such feelings towards him. He sat next to him and pulled his knees to his chin. His heart was pounding with joy.

"I've been thinking about you. I was afraid you went back to Ireland. And that I'll never see you again." Freddie said.

A cold wind whipped their bodies wrapped in soaking wet clothes. To warm themselves up a bit, they sat closer to each other. Jim hugged Freddie around his shoulders. He placed Freddie's head on his chest, while he rested his cheek on Freddie's hair. Freddie didn't resist. He did not panic. He didn't want to hide his gaze or run away. For the first time, he could smell Jim's scent. It smelled of freshly mowed grass. It made him dazed. Freddie didn't think much about his next step. He did what he had wanted to do for so long - he wrapped his arms around Jim's neck, and pressed his lips against Jim's. Jim drank Freddie's full lips like the sweetest wine. A kiss was long. Neither of them wanted to break it first. With a frantic joy, he showered Freddie's face with kisses. He kissed his eyes, his cheeks, his hair… He was drunk with happiness.

"You are silly, Freddie. Do you think I came here just to see you, to fall in love with you, to tell you how much I love you, and then to go back to Ireland and forget about you? No. I don't think we met by accident. I want to marry you. Will you marry me? "

Freddie was silent for a few moments, out of sheer shock and surprise. He nodded and hugged Jim around the neck again. He kissed him as a smile played on his lips. He whispered between kisses: "Yes, I do."

"We can buy a house together. You know, the kind of house you've always dreamed of. With a big garden and trees. I'll plant all your favorite flowers in the garden, and I'll bring you one large bouquet every day. We can adopt cats. Lots of cats. That house will be our piece of heaven on earth. "

"Is this real? I feel like this is all just a dream."

"No, it's not a dream," Jim said. He took the ring off his hand. "To make sure it's all the reality, I want you to take this ring from me. This will be an engagement ring, for now. I'll buy you a more beautiful and smaller one to fit your hand. I'll put this ring on your middle finger, so it doesn't slip off. It's a little wider. There you go… You're my fiance now. I'll try to make you happy.  _ You're the light of my life _ , just like it says in the medallion. "

"It's weird that we have the same medallion. Even now, it's around my neck. Please, don't tell my mom about our engagement! She will never approve of it. I will tell her we're engaged when we return to London."

"When are you traveling back to London?"

"In five days."

"Five days?! That's so long! I'll come after you to London. I will officially ask for your hand from your parents. If I could, I'd marry you right now! Look, the sea has calmed down. We need to go back."

"Oh my God! Mom must be crazy with worry! She must think I'm dead! Can we hurry up?"

Jim pushed the boat with his strong hands and lowered it into the sea. He carried Freddie into the boat and began to paddle. The boat sailed slowly, but at least they managed to get to safety. Winifred got her first grey strands of hair waiting for the news about her son. When she finally saw her beloved son, she fell into his arms. Freddie reassured her that everything was alright and that Jim had come at the right time and saved him from certain death. Winifred thanked Jim and invited him to their room under the excuse that he should warm up and drink hot tea. She did not give up her intention to ask him about his origin. Because suspicion continued to eat her alive.

" _ Why did he rush after Freddie to save him? Did he instinctively feel that Freddie is in danger and that he needs him because they are brothers? _ " Winifred shivered at the thought of Freddie and Jim being in love with each other. It would be a horrible thing. Once they were in the room, wrapped in warm blankets and with full teacups in their hands, Winifred started her tactic.

"Tell me about your parents, Jim. Do you look like your dad or your mom?"

"I look like my father."

"What about your mother? What does she look like? Is she beautiful?"

"Yes, she's beautiful. She has black, curly hair."

_________

The whole night, the brief description of Jim's mother, echoed in Winifred's head. She thought that Jim's mother might be Freddie's mother as well.

" _ Jim says his mother has black, curly hair. Freddie has the same hair. Maybe Freddie was the result of an affair and infidelity. Why would Omega reject her child? How older Jim is than Freddie? He could be Freddie's older brother. Jim's mother must have committed some adultery! She wanted to hide every trace of her nasty cheating behind her. I can't leave Freddie and Jim alone for a single moment. What were they talking about when they were alone in that cove? Damn it! What were they doing there?" _ Her temples throbbed from so much thinking. " _ I can't wait to go back to London! Then everything will be over! Just a few more days. We'll go back home, and Jim will forget that we ever existed." _

Freddie laid in his bed. He was so excited he couldn't sleep. He brought his hand to his lips and kissed the ring Jim had given him. Tomorrow, he will hide it so that no one can see it. When Jim comes to London, he will put it on his finger again. Only then he will tell his parents that they are engaged.


	9. The Lost Medallion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back home in London, Michael Taylor is not feeling well. Vacation for the Taylor family is cut short, and they leave home earlier than planned, without saying goodbye to anyone. In all that rush, Freddie loses his precious medallion. A passerby lady finds it and wonders to whom it could belong...

Freddie and Jim were alone in a hotel room. They were finally able to spend some time alone. To share their first, small intimate moments. They couldn't get enough of each other. Jim couldn't believe he had managed to break down all the walls around Freddie's heart. They are engaged now. Freddie will be his husband. Forever. Just now, Jim felt like he was a complete person. It was as if he had found the other half of his soul that he had been searching for all his life. If he could stop the time, he would stop it at this exact moment. He couldn't stop kissing Freddie. To slide his fingers over his skin. To take a deep breath of his fresh orchid scent on the crook of his neck. His hands ran down his curly hair. His voice and lips intoxicated him. He felt Freddie's cheeks burn beneath his kisses. He will be his soon. In just a few days. His husband. Unspeakable joy filled his heart. He pressed Freddie to his chest as if he wanted his heartbeat to become even crazier from his closeness.

"You're my fiancé," Jim repeated as if in ecstasy. "I'm very impatient. When are you going to tell Roger and your mom?"

"No, not now. I'll tell them when we get back to London."

"Back in London, then," Jim kissed him once more, reluctantly releasing him from his embrace. "I have to go now. I'm expecting a phone call from home. See you tonight?"

"Yes, see you tonight," Freddie replied, watching Jim leave the room, staggering like he's drunk.

He hadn't even looked in the mirror before he wanted to go outside for some fresh air. Excitement still rang in his ears. His cheeks were red from Jim's kisses and small bites. His hair was ruffled, and Jim's scent had already started to mix with his. Just when Freddie grabbed the doorknob to get out, Winifred entered the room angrily. She looked at her son with a serious expression on her face, questioningly looking him up and down. For some reason, it made Freddie feel like a culprit caught in a crime.

"Freddie. I saw that Irishman of yours coming out of our hotel. Was he in this room as well?"

"No, no, he wasn't coming into the room," Freddie stuttered. "We met on the stairs, so we talked."

"What do you have to talk to him about? I don't want to see you in his company. He's Alpha, and you can't stay alone with him. How can I know that he's not going to do anything to you? You were alone with him in the cove. I almost died when I heard about it."

"Don't worry, Mom. He's not like the other Alphas. He didn't do anything to me when we were in the cove. He made sure I was okay and safe. He's so good. He's different, mom. He's so protective of me. It's like he's my big brother."

"What?! Like a brother?! Who said that? Did he tell you that?"

"No, I said that! I just want to say that he protects me as, for example, an older brother would, protect a younger one."

"That's a bunch of bullshit!"

"Mom! You're acting so weird! It annoys you whatever I say or do!"

"I'm sorry. I just feel very upset and grumpy these days. Three more days and we're going home. Thank goodness! We've been here too long," Winifred said, nervously walking around the room like a hyena in a cage, wringing her hands.

______

Freddie was in a hurry to send a letter to his father Michael, for it to be delivered to him tomorrow. He wrote to him that they were returning home soon and that they were all in good health. He dropped the letter in the yellow mailbox and headed back to the hotel. He had no idea that this would be the last letter he would write to him.

Upon returning to his hotel room, Freddie found Winifred and Roger getting ready to go to a restaurant for dinner.

"Did you send a letter to dad?" Winifred asked Freddie.

"I did. I wrote him that we had bought him a small gift. I can't believe we're leaving soon. I'll miss Mrs. Lorey, Frankie, and Goldie."

"I invited all three of them to come to us in London for Christmas. She said we can visit them whenever we want. She is such a wonderful woman and a friend."

Someone knocked on their room door.

"Who is it?" Winifred asked.

"Room service!" A voice on the other side of the door replied. "We have a telegram for you, Mrs. Taylor!"

"Telegram?!" Winifred was upset.

Roger quickly took the piece of paper from the room service and signed that it had been delivered.

"Quick, Roger, open it!"

Roger opened the telegram. He quickly scanned the short text with his eyes. His gaze stiffened and his hands started to tremble.

"What is it? Say it! Who is it from?" Winifred was terrified of the potentially bad news.

Freddie approached Roger and snatched the paper from his hand. The telegram read:  _ Come home immediately. Michael is not feeling well. The godfather Terry. _

"Oh my God!" Winifred screamed, hitting herself in the chest. "Michael is sick! This can't end well! He has a weak heart. He is not going to survive! We are having fun here every day while he is dying!" Her sobs echoed the thin room walls like in a resonant box. "His health condition is serious. The godfather would never call us if it wasn't something serious! We're going home tomorrow morning!" Winifred threw herself on the bed burying her face between her hands. "You can't say he wasn't a good father. He let you go to school. He let you choose to marry whoever you want. He let you come here too. He had a short temper and occasional bouts of anger, but he provided you both good lives. He's the only Alpha in the house. Who's going to protect you now if something happens to him? Yes, I'm Beta. I can take care of you, but nothing can replace an Alpha father."

"Mom, you're talking as he's already dead. Calm down. Maybe it's nothing serious after all. Maybe he had a minor heart attack, or he just got sick from the high summer temperatures. We have to hope for the best," Freddie comforted her. He sat next to her on the bed and hugged her tightly.

"Pack your stuff, children! We're traveling back home tomorrow!"

"Mom, don't despair. We'll meet our dad alive and well. Please, mom, don't cry," Roger sat on the other side of the bed, hugging Winifred and wiping her tears away. She was inconsolable. Despite words of encouragement from her sons, she still had a strong feeling that something bad was going to happen. The boys behaved heroically. They wanted to be brave for their mother. To be the support, she needed most now. They will cry later. Winifred buried her head in the pillow and cried incessantly. Her words became incomprehensible under the waterfalls of tears.

Freddie and Roger thought about what will happen next. They never dreamed that all the big life milestones awaited them this summer. All the great events in their lives happened in just a few weeks. They had to endure this blow that life had just served them. They still had hope that they would find their father alive and well and that they would be able to say goodbye to him on time. They left behind the friends they made here. Their boyfriend and fiancé they loved so much. All of the beautiful memories they have made. All the picture-perfect landscapes they enjoyed every day. They won't have time to say goodbye to anyone they've met here. A gloomy period was ahead of them.

___________

The next morning, the ship set off with a loud shriek of the siren. The ship's beak began to cut the waves. Freddie leaned against the fence on the dock and stared sadly in front of him. Tears rolled down his face. He was very worried. The journey home will belong. If Michael is that sick, he may not wait to see him for the last time. Mom was right, though. Bad news awaits them. Feelings of fear, pain, and despair mingled inside of him. He turned around to take another look at that small coastal town where he had created so many memories. He left his first great love there. Part of his heart will always belong there.

From the boat, Freddie saw Jared waving goodbye to someone. Jared spotted Freddie as well, and his hand dropped beside his body as if it had become boneless. Freddie is leaving. His greatest love. His biggest obsession. He failed to make him his Omega. He wanted to be with him, but he rejected him so coldly. Jared rushed down the shore. Jim walked along the sea, with his head bowed down. He was staring at his feet sinking into the sand. Jared clenched his fist. Why should he be the only one who suffers for Freddie? He hurried over to Jim and stopped him. Jim didn't look nor said hello to him.

"Jim, do you know Freddie's just gone home?"

Jim paused and glared at Jared, assessing whether he was telling the truth or it was just another of his crude lies. Jim had a lot of patience. He knew how to master his feelings, and yet he was stunned to see Jared's serious face. He was telling the truth.

"When did he leave?" Jim asked

"I told you, he has just gone home. Like, right now."

Jim didn't wait to hear if Jared had anything else to say to him. He ran to his hotel and burst into his room, almost knocking the door from the hinges. He pulled out a large suitcase from under the bed and began packing all his belongings. He took his clothes out of the closet, and without any order, he just threw one piece of clothing over the other. He stared at that pile of stuff protruding from an open suitcase. He'll need forever to pack everything up. Jim threw himself wearily on the bed.

"He's gone. Is that true? I was waiting for him yesterday. He didn't come. What if Winifred found out about us? It would be very awkward if I showed up at their door in London in a couple of days. Jared is a vile creature! What if he is lying to me?"

Jim jumped off the bed and hurried down the stairs. He will go to their hotel and ask at the front desk if the Taylor family is still in that room. The receptionist answered indifferently what Jim already knew. Yes, they left. Their room was now empty. 

________

One lady was running down the promenade. She had long black hair curled in a bun. She was short and with a small frame. She wore prescription glasses behind which, her large, now bewildered eyes could be seen. She was searching for someone. The lady had a slightly larger nose and a wide mouth from which healthy white teeth protruded. She held something shimmery in her hand. Her gaze kept jumping from that shimmery thing in her hand, to the faces of passers-by. In that hurry, she scanned everyone's faces very carefully to recognize the person she was looking for in one of them.

She approached a passerby and asked him in a hard Indian accent: "Excuse me, sir, may I ask you something? Do you know who lost this? Whose medallion is this?" The lady opened her fist, and on her palm lay a medallion in the shape of the crescent moon decorated with rubies.

"I don't know," the gentleman replied disinterestedly.

"You don't know? But someone must have lost it! I found it on the dock, lying on the ground."

"Of course someone lost it if you found it on the ground. How could I know whose medallion it is? Go to some hotel and ask there!"

"No, I want to know whose medallion this is!"

"Ma'am, what's the matter with you? You're crazy! Leave me alone!" The gentleman looked at her like she escaped from the mental institution. He frowned at the poor woman, turned on his heel, and left. The gentleman turned around to look at her since her behavior was strange to him. She hurried away, passing through the big crowd on the promenade. She saw a young man and decided to ask him if he knew anything about the lost medallion.

"Sir! Sir! Excuse me! I want to ask you something!" She stopped a young man who knew the owner of this medallion very well. It was Jared. "Do you know whose medallion this is? This crescent moon?" She asked him hopefully.

Jared stared at that piece of jewelry. He had already seen it somewhere. He remembers well how the sun always bounced off its ruby stones. The chain on which the medallion hung was very elegant. It hugged the neck of the person Jared wanted so greedily. It was lying on the chest of the person Jared wanted to own. He knew very well to whom this medallion belonged.

"Yes. I know whose crescent moon it is. It's Freddie's medallion," Jared replied. Freddie's face appeared before his eyes. It hurt him that he would never see him again. This medallion was the only memory left of him. If he could somehow get it from this lady, he would have a reason, an excuse, to visit Freddie in London. Freddie would be grateful. He would throw himself into his arms, kissing him with happiness that he had found the medallion that he thought was lost forever. He'll leave Jim because of him. They will be happy together. Only, nothing came to his mind what to say to persuade this lady to give him such a precious piece of jewelry. The lady's voice pulled Jared from his thoughts back to reality.

"Freddie? Who's Freddie?"

"You know, that Omega with black curly hair and protruding teeth? You may have seen him around. He has a very conspicuous face. He is short and has dark skin."

"Okay, where is he now? I'd like to give this back to him."

“I don’t know where he is,” Jared lied because he hated giving further explanations to some lunatic. "Go to his hotel and ask if he's there. That's that building over there." Jared pointed in the direction of Freddie's hotel. From here, he could see the window of his room. The window in front of which he sat when he watched Freddie, with longing, getting ready for bed. What would he give if he could feel him under his fingers at least one more time?

While Jared fantasized about his lost love, an unknown lady was already at the hotel reception.

"Good afternoon! I'd like to know which room Mr. Freddie stayed in. I don't know his last name."

"Mr. Freddie Taylor?"

"Yes, yes, him."

"He left the hotel this morning. That room is now empty. Why do you need a young gentleman?"

"Nothing important. I wanted to ask him something," she replied in a low voice. With tired steps, completely maddened by the search for the owner of the medallion, she left the hotel.

"It's the same medallion. The same!" She thought to herself as she pressed the medallion against her chest. "We had the same medallions. And those words in Gujarati…  _ You are the light of my life _ . Let me open it to see if there are those words. There are! That's it!" Her eyes widened with joy. After so many years, decades, of searching, she was finally so close. She had something that belonged to him. She knew his name and last name. She began to kiss the medallion, squeezing it tightly between her fingers. "God, is this possible? It's my child! My beautiful child! My son! My love!"

_______

Freddie's melancholic gaze was wandering across the sea. How magnificent everything looked when they first came here. Now everything was covered with a mild fog, as if under a veil. As the evening wore on, the pain in his chest grew. His unmistakable intuition told him it was the end. The cold tightened around his heart. What will happen to their mom? If she continues to cry and sob like this, she will die of grief for Michael. Freddie has to be there for her. The rhythmic rocking of the ship made him sleepy. Through half-open, dreamy eyes, he watched the people on deck. He remembered Jim. How he saw him for the first time in this very place. He left his fiance without saying goodbye. He made a mistake again. He felt very nervous and decided to retreat to the cabin he shared with Roger. A headache blurred his vision.

He entered the cabin and hugged Roger. They curled together on a single size bed, like when they were children. Roger stroked his little brother's cheek.

"It's hard for me, Rog. It's hard for me to endure all this."

"You're so sensitive, Fred. Don't do this to me. You know how much I dislike to see you cry. We have to be strong and sober for mom," Roger whispered. It hurt him to see Freddie grieving. That is why Roger pulled him closer into his hug as if he was still a child. He wanted to protect his brother from everything bad in this world. This moment reminded him of the day his mom let him hold Freddie in his arms for the first time. Freddie was a baby, and Winifred was scared Roger would accidentally drop him or grab him too hard. But Roger was gentle with that small bundle that was now called his brother. Freddie will always be his little brother. From the first day, he had a strong protective feeling towards him. He ran his fingers soothingly through Freddie's hair. Freddie seemed to be in complete peace, but who knows what he was going through inside. Fear of tomorrow arose in Roger. The brothers stayed up all night, only occasionally closing their eyes when they thought about their problems.

The morning dawned. A pink mist spread across the sky as the seagulls awoke. Winifred woke up in her cabin. It was strange to her how she could sleep despite so many terrible thoughts that tormented her brain. She immediately went to wake up her sons. Of course, she found them already awake. They had dark circles under their eyes and ruffled hair. Their eyes missed the usual youthful spark.

"Come on, kids, it's already five in the morning. We have almost arrived. Come on, go quickly to wash your faces. Then pick up your stuff, don't forget anything. You have to eat something. At least one slice of bread. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. You'll get sick."

The siren of the ship shrieked again, signaling to the passengers that they had arrived at their destination. Winifred and the boys will have to travel by train for a few more hours before they finally arrive home. 

The train chugged and chuffed quickly over the bridges and valleys. Winifred wrung her hands in anticipation. The train slowed and stopped at an unusually empty train station. Their suitcases were taken outside by the baggage carrier. Godfather Terry was waiting for them at the train station. He was a tall Alpha, with black hair and blue eyes. He approached them hurriedly, and Freddie was the first to notice him.

"Mom, there is godfather Terry!"

"Oh God, what will he say? What will he say?!" Winifred ran up to Terry and grabbed the lapels of his jacket with her fists. "Terry, what is going on with Michael? Speak up! I beg you! Tell me how he is! I'm going crazy with worry."

"Calm down, Winifred, Michael is fine. He has a very hard period behind him. Because of his weak heart, you know. He got one injection," Terry said.

"Terry, for God's sake, don't hide anything from me! Tell me everything as it is!"

"I'm not hiding anything, darling. I'm telling you how it was. Let's hurry."

"Is he alive? I want to know if he's alive! I won't survive if something happens to him!"

"Don't worry, Winnie. We'll get home now, and you'll see him. He is alive. Let's hurry. I parked the car here. Come on."

They hurried into the car. The car was racing through, from the rain, wet streets. From the main streets, they entered a side street. They saw their building. Roger looked up, and he saw the window of their apartment. The curtains were drawn as if no one was home.

Roger jumped out of the car first. He left his suitcases on the street in front of the building, and he ran up the stone steps. He grabbed the doorknob of the apartment and pulled it down. Their maid, Maria, appeared at the door. She screamed, raised her hands, and flew into Roger's arms. Freddie and Winifred appeared at the door right behind him.

"Maria, speak up, child, what's the matter, why are you screaming?" Winifred asked, dragging her suitcase behind her.

"Mr. Michael is dead!" Maria moaned painfully.

This once happy home was now wrapped in black.


	10. But Life Still Goes On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life of the Taylors after Michael's death...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a filler chapter...

It was the month of November. It has been three months since their father's death. Those first terrible days of despair were over. The changes were visible on the faces of the mother and her sons. They lived more modestly without their father's salary. Winifred as a housewife did not have her salary; as a student, Freddie received a minimum wage, half of which went to his college tuition; Roger was the only one who had a safer source of income. Winifred was used to a beautiful life. She didn't know about the scarcity. Until now. Now, it was strange to her that she had to save every penny while buying groceries or new clothes. She suffered because she watched her children give up their youth so that they could live decently. Roger and Freddie lost everything - they stopped going to the theater, the cinema, concerts, and disco clubs. Maria was fired because they could no longer pay her. So all the household chores fell on the back of her sons. They lost many friends during these three months, only a few of them had stayed by their side. All three of them were more turned towards each other and were each other’s greatest support.

Roger was the soberest and mature in the whole situation. Winifred often visited the cemetery. Roger never let her go alone because every time she came back from the cemetery she would cry her eyes out, and then she would get a fever. Winifred knew all the bad qualities of her husband, but she still loved him. The day could not pass without her crying. She cried over her deceased life partner, and over their young children who were supposed to live. Instead of living, they spent their days working in the office or doing housework all day, every day. Roger and Freddie never said a word against it. They never grumbled angrily about the house chores that were piling up every day. They did their best to have a normal life again.

In addition to suffering for his father, Freddie also suffered for Jim. He missed Jim so much that it hurt so badly. He hadn't contacted Jim since he'd traveled back home so abruptly. Jim didn't send him a single letter for three months. Freddie expected a word from him, every day. He hoped he might come to London as he said. By now, he was supposed to be Jim's husband. And yet, he didn't even have a proper engagement ring. He was afraid they might grow distant from each other as more time passed. He remembered all the beautiful things they had survived together at the sea. Everything was sunny and beautiful. Now it was rainy and gloomy. Freddie kept thinking about Alpha from the deck. The thought of him was never leaving him. Everyone had already written to them - Mrs. Lorey, Frankie, Goldie. Even Brian wrote to Roger. Freddie thought that was the reason why Roger was so strong and calm in moments like this — because the knowledge that someone loved him, gave him strength and encouraged him to move on. Everyone sent letters. Only Jim was silent.

Even today, Brian sent Roger another letter. It formed a huge smile on Roger's face.

_ Dear Roger, _

_ At the seaside, you knew about both my and Jimmy's feelings for you. Jimmy, indeed, loves you so sincerely. Those same feelings are growing inside of me. Looking at your tenderness towards my child, sincere and spontaneous, I felt how much soul and warmth there is in you. And he mourned for you like a child deprived of a mother, who felt that someone was finally giving him the love he needed. It was the beautiful thing that enchanted me. In addition to these qualities of tenderness, you also have beautiful blue eyes. You are an Omega, created to provoke the love of Alpha. Since autumn came, I have been overwhelmed by melancholy, which I have never felt until today. I researched the causes of it and found that only you could cure my melancholy. I miss you very much, and I imagine how much joy there would be in my house if you lived in it too. How much my little Jimmy would love to have a daddy like you by his side. He would be so happy! Can we hope you can make us both happy? Me by becoming my husband and Jimmy by becoming his dad? _

_ I was afraid to remarry until I met you. Finding a beautiful Omega is not difficult. It is not easy to find a good husband and a gentle father. I am not allowed to be selfish and think only of my happiness. I want my child to be happy too. When I saw you, I felt that you were able to make both me and my child happy. How sad I was the day you left... _

_ If you accept my proposal, I will come tomorrow afternoon. _

_ I am looking forward to your reply! _

_ Stay well, _

_ Brian May _

Roger read the letter with a spark in his eyes. He was so excited, his cheeks were burning and his heart was pounding.

"God, is this true? He's asking me to be his husband! Jimmy is going to be my son! God, how am I going to love them both! I'll send him an answer right away! Oh, what will mom say when I tell her?" Roger couldn't stop hyperventilating from so much happiness. "Mom! Brian asked me to be his husband! He will come to us tomorrow afternoon!"

Winifred almost collapsed on a chair and just whispered, "He's a wonderful man." She wiped her teary eyes. She cried at the thought that this was the first good news they had heard since Michael's death. They were both very worried about Roger, considering his reputation with Alphas. Winifred could hardly wait for the day when Roger would settle down next to someone.

"I can tell you, Rogie, he's a wonderful man. He's serious, mature, and thoughtful. He is an example of what a real Alpha should be," Winifred said as if giving her approval that Roger could marry that guy. "You'll hardly ever find a better husband than him... He has one child, and you love children."

"Aw, Mom, I can't wait to see my Jimmy! I will be taking care of him like he is my real son." Roger suddenly grew sad. "How am I going to leave you, Mom? You are going to be home alone? Freddie studies and works all day. I'll send you money every week, so Freddie doesn't have to work so hard. Mom, shall we send a reply immediately?"

"Sure, let's send it right away. I'll go to the post office. I'll buy something to eat along the way. We'll make a rich lunch and dinner tomorrow when our guest arrives. I can't wait for Freddie to come! How happy he will be! God, Rogie, I want you to be happy. I want nothing more than you to be happy!"

When Winifred left the house, Roger spent all his time looking out the window to see Freddie coming back from work. He could hardly wait to share with him his great joy and happiness. When he heard his brother's footsteps, he flew to meet him.

"Freddie, you know, there's one big good news! You won't believe it!" Freddie's heart pounded like crazy. He thought Jim might have sent him a letter and would be coming to London soon. He stared at Roger with wide eyes, expecting the desired answer.

"Freddie, Brian proposed to me!" Roger exclaimed, beaming with happiness.

In Freddie's chest, something rolled down and disappeared. He turned pale when he didn't hear what he expected. His momentary joy was gone, all lost. Roger noticed that strange expression on Freddie's face and asked him with a dose of fear: "Aren't you looking forward to it, Freddie? You don't approve of me marrying Brian?"

Those words dragged Freddie back into reality. He just now noticed and felt how big Roger's joy is. He hugged him, saying: "Oh, I'm just confused. It made me so happy, and I just can't believe it's true. Is that possible? Oh, well, that's what I call happiness! It's good luck! He is a wonderful man!"

Freddie rejoiced in his brother's happiness and mourned himself at the same time. He mourned his first love's disappointment. Brian announced his arrival the day after tomorrow at four o'clock in the afternoon.

__________

Roger couldn't stay in one place for a minute. Now and then he would grab Brian's letter and stop at his words where he stated that he wants him for a husband. Unconsciously, he would approach the mirror ever so often, smiling at himself. For the tenth time, he adjusted the cushions on the couch and armchairs. His only regret was that Freddie wouldn't be there when Brian comes. He was going to work now, but promised to ask his boss to let him go home earlier. How much he would like Freddie to be with him!

"You deserve to be happy, Rog," Freddie said, fixing the collar on Roger's formal suit.

"And you don't? I'll be so happy when you get married, too."

"No, I will never get married. I will stay with mom."

"Why? You? You are so beautiful, even more, beautiful than me, and you don't want to get married?! Freddie, do you want to tell me something? I'd like to hear the answer."

"What?"

"Did Jim love you?"

"I don't want to talk about him."

"Why won't you? Freddie… I… I found something in one of your drawers, but I didn't say anything… I didn't want to tell you right away…"

"What did you find?"

"I found a ring that I know for sure it doesn't belong to you. It's too wide for your fingers. Jim gave it to you? Is that right?"

"Yes. He gave me the ring. He asked me to marry him. He promised to come to London, and he didn't. Don't tell Mom about it."

"I won't."

________

Five minutes to four. The first snow was falling. The cold wind blew so hard that the flakes were falling horizontally. They would stick to the frozen glass, creating surreal patterns. A strong smell of coffee was coming from the kitchen. A black car parked under their window.

"Oh, Mom, I'm so excited! Here's Brian! Wait to see how elegant he is."

Brian got out of the car wearing a black winter coat, leather gloves, and leather shoes. Roger ran into the hall, quickly approaching the door. He unlocked it and waited for Brian to appear. The footsteps were getting closer, and then Roger heard a faint knock on the door. He walked over, opened the door, and Brian stood in front of him.

"Oh, Roger! How glad I am to see you! How are you? You're always so beautiful. That suit flatters your figure," Brian said as he quickly took off his winter coat and gloves. He put his gloves in his coat pocket and hung his coat in the hallway. When he saw Winifred, he expressed his condolences to her, which she received with a sigh, but refrained from crying. She ushered him into a peach-colored salon. It was beautiful, elegant, and warm, and it smelled like orchids.

The atmosphere was pleasant and relaxed, even though it was quite formal. They summed up their memories from the seaside. Brian talked about Jimmy, how he can't wait for Roger to come to their house. He talked about his house, how he has a small garden with vegetables because he is a vegetarian. He talked about his hobbies, scientific research, and things he likes to do for fun. In short, he talked about all those things they didn’t get to talk about while they were on holiday. Only now did they have the opportunity to get to know each other much better. Ms. Lorey always said the best things about Brian, and Winifred saw that it was all true. She was overjoyed that her son would have a real-life companion. Brian often brought Roger's hand to his lips, kissing his knuckles. After officially asking Winifred for Roger's hand, a gold ring with diamonds soon shone on that elegant hand. It fitted perfectly on Roger's thin finger. It was part of the family jewelry as Brian said. He bought him many gifts, from clothes to jewelry and a short white fur coat for Freddie.

Freddie returned from work late, around 10 p.m. He looked very tired, with half-closed eyes and dark circles. His eyes were red, from looking at the drawings all day. He tried to be cheerful, but the fatigue was still more than visible on his face. He congratulated Brian and Roger on their engagement and sat down at the table with them, although at this moment, he would like more than anything to hug the pillow and to fall into a deep sleep. Every day Freddie would come home exhausted from working overtime. He was lonely and tired. He felt as if his life was empty and aimless. He had no clear goal in front of him. What exactly does he live and work for? Brian squeezed his fiancé's hand. Freddie sank into his thoughts. This atmosphere reminded him of that terrible night in the middle of a raging sea. Jim held his hand as Brian now holds Roger's.  _ Why did Jim leave me? Why did he forget me? Where is he now? Why doesn't he write to me? _ Freddie thought to himself.

Brian wrapped his arms around Roger's shoulders. He showed him photos of himself and Jimmy in the backyard of their house, in front of the linden trees. He kissed his hair and kept repeating how much he loved him. Roger looked at him with his dreamy blue eyes. All this seemed to him to be just a dream. He was hungry and thirsty for Brian's kisses and touches. Brian looked him in the eyes.

"Roger, tell me honestly, will you be happy with me?"

"I couldn't even imagine such happiness. Judging by those photos, your house is very beautiful and big. We will be able to have our family there. How can I not be happy when I have a wonderful husband, a sweet child, and a beautiful house?"

"And will you love me?"

"Very, very much!" Roger responded, kissing Brian longingly on the lips.

"You know, I would never have remarried if I hadn't met you. I liked everything about you. How you behave, how you talk, how educated and smart you are. And just a  _ little _ bit flirty."

Roger rested his head on Brian's chest and continued to look at the photos Brian had brought with him. In just two days, he will be Brian's husband, and they will live together in this house from pictures.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr: [freesiafields](https://freesiafields.tumblr.com/)


End file.
